SPHINX: The Series
by Sabertooth Kitty
Summary: Based on the game "Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy"- a whole series of stories, based on the characters and settings of the semi-popular video game. See the introduction for more info, and check out the newest episode- "Duel of the Demigods"!
1. Introduction

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SPHINX: The Series

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Rated PG (unless stated otherwise)

Most of the characters, settings, and just about everything else comes from the video game _Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy_, copyrighted to Nintento, THQ, and Eurocom Developments Ltd. Any original character not found in the game belongs to their respective creator(s).

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Now this is interesting... am I the only person out there that likes this game enough to write fanfic about it? I just noticed that there is not one single fanfic on this website surrounding _Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy_! So, I have decided to write a few stories surrounding the game.

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Now, if you have already played the game, then there's really no need for you to stay here- move on to the first episode (next chapter). However, in the event that you have no idea what I'm talking about, perhaps you should read on...

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STORYLINE

Okay, I'll do my best to explain the game in a nutshell. The story mainly revolves around two dudes, one of which is Sphinx- a headstrong demigod with the agility of a cat (and the ferocity, too). Unbeknownst to him (at first), he is fulfilling a prophecy to cast the darkness out of ancient Egypt and save the world from the darkness of Set, the god of chaos and destruction. Of course, he's going to need a little help.

That's where our second character comes in- young King Tut (or, as we know him, the Mummy). The young king's birthday was sabotaged by Set and his minions, to take the throne of Egypt from him. Although reluctant, the Mummy knows that if he ever wants to live on as king (and marry his lovely girlfriend, Nefertiti), he must go along with the plans.

Despite what commercials for the game may have hinted, Sphinx and the Mummy are hardly ever together. As the same commercials have said, "Their mission is the same; their methods couldn't be any further apart."

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CHARACTERS

We'll start with the two main characters-

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SPHINX

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**Age**: about 17**  
Gender**: male  
**Order**: demigod (with lion-like traits)**  
Position**: warrior-in-training; hero  
**Allies**: the Mummy; Imhotep; Anubis**  
Enemies**: Set; Horus  
**Personality**: young, brash, impatient**  
Quote**: (after a bad brawl) "I'm fine… never better… just a flesh wound."

Although still reasonably young, Sphinx is more than determined to prove himself a warrior, let alone a hero. He's a quick-witted young demigod, with a tongue just as sharp as his weapon-of-choice: the coveted Blade of Osiris. He also has an uncanny ability to figure out the motivations of others, whether good or evil. As far as warriors go, he's more than qualified. Unfortunately, the fire in his belly from many battles he has yet to face carries over into his impatience with others. Just the same, he manages to persevere no matter what the situation, and that makes him pretty darn cool.

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**KING TUT** (a.k.a.- the **MUMMY**)

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**Age**: about 14**  
Gender**: male**  
Order**: human (technically a corpse wrapped in linen cloths)  
**Position**: boy-king turned mummy  
**Allies**: Sphinx; Nefertiti**  
Enemies**: Set  
**Personality**: young, naive, inexperienced**  
Quote**: "Here we go again..."

Poor king Tut was put under a curse and turned into a mummy! Parts of his soul were scattered across Egypt in sacred Canopic Jars. Most of them were recovered, and yet more could be hidden in the shifting sands of Egypt. Until then, the Mummy must wait to return to his human form. However, the undead body he has now seems to work towards his advantage, so it's not a total loss. Although reluctant, the Mummy is ultimately Sphinx's personal helper in retrieving precious information, and what will he get in return? His mortality, the throne, and his girlfriend- the beautiful Nefertiti.

Now for the villains...

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SET

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**Age**: countless eons**  
Gender**: male  
**Order**: deity**  
Position**: god of chaos, destruction, and darkness  
**Allies**: his advisor Menes, along with Horus**  
Enemies**: Sphinx; the Mummy  
**Personality**: dark, sinister, and just plain evil**  
Quote**: "Suddenly, things have gotten very interesting..."

Set is evil- plain and simple. All he wants is to smother the world in total darkness, and at last be happy. Of course, there will always be those who don't really like the idea, particularly Sphinx and his friend the Mummy. That's why Set goes to extreme lengths to protect his dream of total darkness; there's nothing he won't do. Like I said, the guy is pure evil; that's all there is to it.

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MENES

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**Age**: old... very old...**  
Gender**: female  
**Order**: human**  
Position**: sorceress  
**Allies**: Set; Horus**  
Enemies**: Sphinx; the Mummy  
**Personality**: clever, cunning, irritable**  
Quote**: (referring to Set) "Yes, my Lord?"

Menes is pretty much a crotchety old woman- she's just like the lady from down the street (you know, the one with all the cats). However, she has one key strength- her spells and incantations. Ever since she was a little girl, she has been learning all the different spells, especially those used in dark rituals. Eventually, Set got to her and convinced her to be his advisor. She could care less if the world is covered in darkness- so long as she is the power behind the throne, that's all that really matters to her.

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HORUS

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**Age**: about 17**  
Gender**: male  
**Order**: deity; anthro hawk**  
Position**: warrior-in-training  
**Allies**: Set**  
Enemies**: Sphinx  
**Personality**: young, brash, arrogant**  
Quote**: "One of these days, Sphinx..."

Ironically, there was a time that Horus and Sphinx were the best of friends. Then they started their training- friendship was forsaken for glory and adoration. It was when Sphinx took possession of the Blade of Osiris that their heated rivalry began. Now Horus will do just about anything to make Sphinx look like a failure, proving his worth. In fact, he has gone so far as to ask Set for help. Both would benefit- Set would have his dark kingdom, and Horus would have his glory. What could be more perfect?

Now, for the supporting cast...

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IMHOTEP

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**Age**: old... very old...**  
Gender**: male  
**Order**: demigod; anthro baboon**  
Position**: wizard; instructor  
**Allies**: his two apprentices- Sphinx and Horus**  
Enemies**: Set  
**Personality**: wise, knowledgeable, patient**  
Quote**: (referring to either of his apprentices) "You fool!"

Imhotep has been training warriors for many, many years. His more recent students- Sphinx and Horus- have proven to be quite a challenge. Sphinx's victory in retrieving the Blade of Osiris made the instructor ponder the boy's potential. Since then, he has had to deal with many a conflict between Horus and Sphinx, some more heated than others. He helps Sphinx countless times along the way, and manages to give both of his apprentices words of wisdom. It's all in a day's work, really.

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ANUBIS

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**Age**: countless eons (although he looks quite young)**  
Gender**: male  
**Order**: deity; anthro jackal**  
Position**: god of death and mummification; protectorate  
**Allies**: usually Sphinx**  
Enemies**: usually Set  
**Personality**: withdrawn, knowledgeable, protective**  
Quote**: "What is the world coming to?" (rhetorical question)

Although true to his alliance with Osiris, Anubis has been known to act as a double agent. He still hates Set, but has on occasion associated with him. Just the same, he takes pride in having Sphinx deliver a painful blow to Set and his minions, to make sure they understand his position on the matter. Also, this particular character has a keen weakness- passion. Whenever he needs something, it's usually something extremely important. That's why he has come to trust Sphinx- the young warrior always manages to persevere in his quests...

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NEFERTITI

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**Age**: about 14**  
Gender**: female  
**Order**: human**  
Position**: future queen; bride-to-be of King Tut  
**Allies**: Sphinx; the Mummy; Bas-Ket**  
Enemies**: Set  
**Personality**: clever, perceptive, understanding**  
Quote**: (remembering her lost love) "Come back to me, Prince..."

The lovely Nefertiti has been a close acquaintance of King Tut for years, and recently that friendship has grown into something more. In fact, they planned to marry on the day of his coronation. The events of her boyfriend's curse still haunt her, but she is quite the independent woman. She helps out Sphinx any way she can, and in return he sends her little love-notes to the Mummy. She knows that her "Prince", as she affectionately calls him, will do his part, in hopes that one day they will be reunited and become husband and wife, king and queen... maybe father and mother...

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BAS-KET

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**Age**: none**  
Gender**: none  
**Order**: a cursed basket**  
Position**: intermediately between Sphinx and the Mummy  
**Allies**: Sphinx; the Mummy; Imhotep; Nefertiti**  
Enemies**: Set  
**Personality**: helpful, clever, sarcastic**  
Quote**: "Eh, what are you gonna do?"

Bas-Ket is actually a character from the game. Once an ordinary basket, Imhotep caused it to become possessed, thus making it a mystical messenger for Sphinx and the Mummy. Usually, Bas-Ket is off in his own little world, but he's always handy for a new Canopic Jar (and some love letters from Nefertiti) to deliver to the Mummy, and he makes sure the Mummy's findings get to Sphinx as soon as possible. Still, in a situation like that, there's gotta be a few wisecracks you can come up with- hence, Bas-Ket's impeccable wit and sarcasm.

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**AHKENATEN**

**Age**: early 30s**  
Gender**: male**  
Order**: human**  
Position**: pharaoh  
**Allies**: Sphinx; the Mummy; Nefertiti**  
Enemies**: Set; Menes  
**Personality**: a leader; standoffish, arrogant**  
Quote**: (awaiting the Mummy) "Where is that bandaged brother of mine?"

Ahkenaten is the older brother of Prince Tutankhamun. He was held hostage by his previous advisor Menes, while Set continued his charade. Once Set had been taken care of, Ahkenaten was finally found and released. Because poor King Tut was still in his mummified state, Ahkenaten took over for his younger brother as pharaoh. While he has no attraction for young Nefertiti, he still has his prosperity to think about, and the young queen seems to be his only option. Despite all this, the Prince still has great respect for his older brother (not to mention he's oblivious to these schemes anyway).

The rest of these are minor characters from the game (some of which I had to give names, in lack of their own), but they do play key roles in both the game and this series. Keep an eye out for them...

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KHENTI AMENTI

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**Age**: mid 30s**  
Gender**: male  
**Order**: anthro hyena**  
Position**: nomad  
**Allies**: Sphinx; Imhotep**  
Enemies**: Set  
**Personality**: helpful, apologetic, cowardly**  
Quote**: "Sorry, pal- you're on your own."

Khenti has a unique way of responding to danger- either avoiding it altogether or running from it. In a way, he is the exact opposite of Sphinx. Just the same, he is usually willing to help out the young demigod when needed. He is only more than proud of his beautiful wife, Ketta; she means the world to him. In fact, she is partially the reason he respects Sphinx- he rescued her once before, and has continued to do so unconditionally. He may not be much help, but Khenti is always there for Sphinx… if words are the only things being dished out.

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KETTA AMENTI

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**Age**: late 20s**  
Gender**: female  
**Order**: anthro hyena**  
Position**: housewife**  
Allies**: Sphinx; Imhotep**  
Enemies**: Set  
**Personality**: intelligent, helpful, optimistic**  
Quote**: "The pleasure is all mine."

Ketta is the gorgeous wife of the nomad, Khenti. Sure, she's a knock-out, but she has brains along with beauty. She may not be a philosopher, but she seems to know more than her dim-witted husband. Since their current location is near Heliopolis, Sphinx is a common visitor of theirs, and Ketta is always willing to help the boy in any way she can. Ironically, she finds herself in more predicaments than her husband- usually because of her exquisite beauty. Still, she knows that her husband does what he can, and it is Sphinx that will come to her rescue no matter what.

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TEHUTI

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**Age**: mid 40s**  
Gender**: male  
**Order**: anthro ibis**  
Position**: museum curator; Abydos biology expert  
**Allies**: Sphinx**  
Enemies**: Set  
**Personality**: peaceful, kind, innovative**  
Quote**: "Now that is a fine specimen!"

Tehuti works at the museum of Abydos, and Sphinx is a common visitor. He knows a great deal about every animal and plant in the Egyptian kingdom; all he needs are kindly-donated specimens, and who better than an adventurer? Hence, Tehuti has entrusted Sphinx with the responsibility. Expect Tehuti to be involved anytime our hero encounters a new, mysterious creature…

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AQUILA

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**Age**: mid 40s**  
Gender**: male  
**Order**: anthro eagle**  
Position**: Abydos jewel expert  
**Allies**: Sphinx**  
Enemies**: Set  
**Personality**: strict, blunt, occasionally neurotic**  
Quote**: "I don't have time for this!"

Aquila and his close friend Tehuti pretty much run the museum in Abydos; his main job is researching rare (and lovely) jewels. Sadly, the Abydosian collection has been stolen. Although it hasn't stopped him from running the museum, it has been a setback in tourism. That's where Sphinx comes in- as a common visitor to Abydos, let alone the museum, he has the unique chance to show Aquila any jewels he may find along the way.

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MAYET

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**Age**: early 40s**  
Gender**: female  
**Order**: anthro ibis**  
Position**: housewife  
**Allies**: Sphinx**  
Enemies**: Set**  
Personality**: kind, motherly, open  
**Quote**: (referring to Sphinx) "Ah, the noble warrior returns..."

When Sphinx first arrived in Abydos, it was Mayet who helped him find his way around the town, thus helping him on his quest. Even before asking him about it, she knew that Sphinx was an adventurer- she recognized his admirable traits quickly and clearly. She is, in many ways, very much like Ketta, except for the fact that her husband (a ferryman) is usually out of the house, and often away on business. She takes comfort in having Sphinx visit on occasion, and he knows that she does what she can for him, including gathering information…

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**SUTI and HAPI**

**Ages**: late 40s and early 40s, respectively**  
Genders**: male  
**Orders**: anthro "mutts"**  
Positions**: farmers  
**Allies**: Sphinx**  
Enemies**: Set; Anubis  
**Personalities**: (both of them) busy, placid, irritable**  
Quotes**: (either of them) "Eh, what did you say?"

Suti and Hapi are brothers, the former older than the latter. They work on a huge expanse of farmland, doing what they can to replenish the ravaged soil. Unfortunately, this is exactly the reason they hold a grudge against their local deity, Anubis- in the brothers' absence, their land was ruined almost beyond repair, and "Mr. High-and-Mighty" (as they often mock him) did nothing to restore it. However, because Sphinx helped out the two brothers in his quest, they welcome him whole-heartedly.

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**SHETTA**

**Age**: late 30s**  
Gender**: female  
**Order**: anthro hyena**  
Position**: local healer  
**Allies**: Sphinx**  
Enemies**: Set  
**Personality**: open, caustic, spicy**  
Quote**: "I know my business, and that ain't none of your business."

Shetta has a unique zest for life. She sees every moment of life as a moment that should be lived with a passion. That's why she loves her job so much- healing gives others a chance to live their lives to the fullest. Ironically, Sphinx is one of her more casual visitors (but hey-every once in a while, he brings her some gold ankh pieces to help out her business). Having lived in the Bedouin Outpost since she was a little girl, she knows the South Desert like the back of her paw, so naturally she comes in handy quite often.

Here's where I'll put original characters, mainly mine. However, if you are familiar to the game "Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy", feel free to send me your suggestions for characters via my email address (see my profile).

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TIMELINE

The setting of the whole story takes place after the events of the game. However, the series should be self-explanatory. In other words, you don't **need** to play the game to understand what's going on. Of course, it would help you get a better idea… ;)

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Well, that's about it. Now that I have given you all the basic information, it's time for the first episode! Enjoy _SPHINX- the Series_, and please review!!__

-Sabertooth Kitty


	2. Quest for an Adventure

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SPHINX: The Series

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Quest for an Adventure

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A long gilded boat drifted along the river Nile. The sky was bright, and the balmy atmosphere brought new hope to the people of Egypt; their future was secure, and it was all thanks to the two young heroes traveling in that very boat.

On one side of the boat sat a quiet young demigod, perhaps no more than 17 years of age. His leather clothing had been torn and stained from his many battles, though it blended well with his suntanned skin and the lion-like tail gently swaying back and forth. A brown satchel hung lightly over one shoulder, and a rather menacing blade dangled at his side. A black and gold headdress adorned his head, contrasting with the bold features of his face. Surely, this was the face of a hero!

Alongside him, however, sat his exact opposite. It was a mummy, and a lanky one at that. His bandages were as weathered as his companion's clothes were, but from very different incidents. A bright blue pectoral and matching arm-cuffs hinted his royal lineage. Apart from the one eye that poked through the head bandages, not much else seemed peculiar about him.

A tall figure approached them- another demigod, this one more likened to a humanlike baboon. He wore a long distinctive robe, hinting his mystical occupation. "Sphinx," he addressed the young man, "you haven't spoken in quite some time. Would you care to enlighten us?"

With a heavy sigh, Sphinx turned to the elder gentleman. "I don't know, Master Imhotep," he admitted. "I guess… I didn't expect it to be over so soon."

The Mummy rolled his eyes. "Speak for yourself," he snapped. "It's far from over for me!"

"Patience, young Prince Tutankhamun," Imhotep advised. "You will have your mortality soon enough."

A small smile crossed Sphinx's face as he leaned against the side of the boat. So much had happened to him- all the people he met, the places he went, the things he discovered. Although he was glad the whole ordeal was over, he still missed the thrill of adventure.

Glancing over his shoulder, the Mummy noticed Sphinx's odd expression. "What are you so happy about?" he inquired.

Again, Sphinx grinned slightly. "Nothing," he answered. "I've just been thinking about everything that's happened."

Needless to say, Tut was not exactly touched. "Sure," he murmured, "while you were out having the greatest adventure of your life, do you know what happened to me?? I was electrocuted, set on fire, flattened, turned into a bat, smoked, and sliced into three pieces, and all for what?!"

A smirk crossed Sphinx's face. "You should be grateful," he said smugly. "Imhotep did offer to help, and you wouldn't have gotten anywhere without either of us."

Suddenly, another high-pitched voice interrupted their conversation. "Hey, what about me??" it yipped.

Both Sphinx and the Mummy frowned, turning their heads to see a small basket creature. In fact, it _was_ a basket- except, it had been possessed by a mystical spirit. A pair of eyeballs poked out from underneath the top, glaring at the two as it waddled forward. "I was practically your messenger boy," it growled. "Don't I get a little credit??"

The young demigod and the undead prince glanced at each other and smirked; Sphinx raised his foot and rested it gently atop the basket. "Relax, Bas-Ket," he muttered. "We know we couldn't have done it without you."

Bas-Ket let out a low growl; needless to say, he didn't like being used as a footstool.

It was then that the barge came to a halt. They had reached their destination- Sun Shrine Island. The main attraction (in fact, the only attraction on such a small island) was the large building before them- the temple of Imhotep.

The elder demigod smiled as he, his apprentice Sphinx, the Mummy Tut, and their companion Bas-Ket went ashore. "Ah, it is good to be home," he sighed, turning to his apprentice. "Sphinx, perhaps you would like to come inside and rest awhile?"

After a moment of thought, Sphinx shook his head. "No, that's okay," he replied. "There are a few people I'd like to visit, though."

Imhotep nodded. "Well, in that case," he responded, "should you visit Khenti and Ketta, send them my highest regards."

As Imhotep sauntered into the temple, the Mummy glanced at Sphinx. "Khenti? Ketta?" he inquired. "Who are they?"

Quickly, Bas-Ket intervened. "Khenti and Ketta Amenti are nomads, and they're also good friends of Imhotep," he explained. "Sphinx helped them out during his journey, and in return they agreed to help whenever they could."

Sphinx nodded. "They did help me find the lost crown of Abydos," he continued, turning to face the opposite island, "so I can at least drop in and tell them what's happened."

The mummy prince gazed upwards and smirked a little. "Something tells me they already know," he murmured. "They sky is so bright, you can see the stars past the morning sky." He then noticed that Sphinx had wandered away, towards the canal. "Hey- where are you going??"

The young demigod cocked his eyebrows. "I'm going to see Khenti and Ketta," he answered. "They're right across the canal from here. Why?"

For a moment, the Mummy stuttered in uncertainty. "Look, I just want to come with you," he finally said. "It's not like I have anything better to do anyway."

Smiling, Sphinx waded further into the water. "Okay, sure," he agreed. "Come on- let's go."

While Sphinx swam further into the deep waters, the Mummy could only wave from the shoreline. "Wait!" he cried. "I can't swim!"

Although not surprised, Sphinx was quite puzzled with the notion. He thought for a moment, finally coming up with an idea…

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A moment later, Sphinx was back in the water, swimming to the opposite shore. However, there was one slight difference- namely, the basket strapped to his back.

"How much longer??" Bas-Ket whined. "The prince here is taking up a lot of space! I can hardly breathe!"

Another voice- this one, from the Mummy- escaped the basket as well. "Neither can I!" he gasped.

The lion-like demigod rolled his eyes. "First of all, neither of you have to breathe anyway- Prince, you're dead, and Bas-Ket, you're not technically alive to begin with," he pointed out. "Second, would you two stop whining already?! I already have Spinefish to worry about!"

Bas-Ket squirmed beneath the ropes. "Well, it was your idea!" he growled.

It was then that Sphinx noticed a large spiny fish; with a sly grin, he veered off-course. "Say, there's one," he hissed. "Let's get in close, shall we?"

Both Bas-Ket and the Mummy got a good look at the Spinefish- it was huge, and none too pleased. They screamed in horror at the sight.

Sphinx smirked. "I thought so," he remarked, quickly swimming away from the giant fish. "On to the mainland!"

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Finally, the demigod and his companions arrived at the opposite shore, known to the locals as South Beach. It was quite the relaxing vacation spot, so long as travelers were careful of the Spinefish that inhabited the waters.

Not too far off from the beach was a small house, nestled amidst the towering canyon walls. An anthropomorphic hyena dressed in demure clothing sat outside the house, busying away with a work of pottery. He hummed a quiet tune to himself, looking up from his work to see an old friend. "Sphinx?"

Smiling, Sphinx approached the nomad. "Khenti," he addressed. "How are things? Have you and Ketta been all right? No monster problems, I hope."

Khenti shook Sphinx's hand and glanced over the boy's shoulder. "Erm, Sphinx," he murmured, "you… might want to look behind you. There's a few m- m- mon- monsters!"

Although puzzled at first, Sphinx laughed when he suddenly realized what the nomad was talking about. "Oh, don't worry, Khenti," he assured. "Those two are just my companions." He turned around and gestured to the Mummy and Bas-Ket. "Come on over- I want you to meet someone."

The enchanted basket slowly stepped back. "No thanks," he responded. "Somehow, I don't entirely trust that guy."

Of course, the undead Prince Tut was just as naïve as he was when he was still alive. "Coming," he said, walking up to the demigod and his nomad friend. "So, this is Khenti?"

"The one and only," Sphinx answered, pointing out Khenti's building anxiety. "He's not exactly one of the calmest folks around here."

Bas-Ket waddled up next to the Mummy, sensing that it was safe to approach. "Really?" he snapped caustically. "You know, I could hardly tell."

Fortunately for them, Sphinx noticed Khenti as he reached for a nearby broom. "Don't even think about it," he warned. "Bas-Ket and the Mummy are completely harmless- they want nothing with you or Ketta."

Surprised, Khenti chuckled nervously. "Of course," he replied, moving away from the broom. "I knew that. I was just… going to… um, clean up a little?"

Miffed, Bas-Ket approached Khenti. "Oh, yeah?" he remarked. "This coming from a guy that could squish me like a bug??"

Upon hearing that remark, Khenti smirked and raised his foot; however, Sphinx dove to the ground and stopped him at the ankle. "Khenti, stop!" he barked. "They mean no _physical_ harm!"

It was then that another anthro hyena approached them- this one female, and a very attractive one at that. "Khenti," she addressed, "what is going on here?" She then noticed the young demigod in their presence. "Sphinx! How wonderful it is to see you!"

Suddenly, Sphinx found himself swept up in the arms of the nomad's wife as she embraced him tightly. "It's good to see you too, Ketta," he gasped, gently pushing away from her. "I brought a few friends with me- I hope you don't mind."

Glancing over Sphinx's shoulder, Ketta approached the two odd fellows. "Oh," she murmured, "and who might you be?"

Amazed with Ketta's gorgeous figure and equally flattering attire, Bas-Ket whistled sharply. "She's a looker, all right!" he squeaked.

Ketta smiled. "You must be Bas-Ket," she responded, turning to the Mummy, "and if I'm not mistaken, you are Prince Tutankhamun. It certainly is a pleasure to meet you."

The Mummy stuttered, smiling awkwardly. "Hi," he said, blushing slightly.

Sphinx rolled his eyes. "Oh, for the love of Ra," he muttered, turning his attention back to the Amentis. "Look, as much as we'd like to stay, there are other people I have to visit."

"Of course," Ketta responded. "Where are you headed off to next?"

The demigod shrugged. "Abydos, I guess," he replied. "I'd like to donate a few monsters to the museum."

Nodding, Ketta took something from her pocket- a small leather bag. "While you're there," she pressed, "why don't you have this looked at? Inside is a jewel my husband found at the bazaar, but it looks far too rich for our trade routes. That fellow at the museum might be interested in this."

Intrigued, Sphinx took the pouch and placed it in his satchel. "I'll make sure of it," he assured as he and his companions turned to leave. "Goodbye Khenti, Ketta!"

Bas-Ket hobbled over, next to Sphinx. "Off to Abydos!" he chimed.

The mention of that city somehow disturbed the Mummy. "Abydos?" he queried. "That's pretty far, isn't it?"

Dubious, Sphinx turned to the Mummy, cocking his eyebrows. "Yes," he answered. "Is that a problem?"

Prince Tut swept his hand towards the water. "Do you think I'm going to be stuffed back into that basket while you swim for Ra knows how long??" he questioned, crossing his arms and turning away. "No! There is _no way_ you are making me do **that **again!"

With a heavy sigh, Sphinx grabbed the Mummy by the shoulder and pointed to a nearby dock; a small barge awaited departure for the next town. "We're taking a boat," he said rather bluntly.

As Sphinx and Bas-Ket approached the barge, the Mummy stood back for a moment. "Now, why didn't I think of that?" he muttered, following them onto the dock…

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A few hours later, the demigod and his companions arrived in Abydos- a beautiful seaside Egyptian town. It was a cultural getaway, home to a grand museum and other world-renown attractions. Apart from the electric eels inhabiting the surrounding waters, it truly was a paradise.

Sphinx strode casually through the streets, while keeping a close eye on the Mummy and Bas-Ket. He had noticed that people were starting to stare- whether it was him or the walking mummy (or even the enchanted basket) that drew their attention he had no clue. However, he knew better than to call attention to it.

Despite the gathering number of spectators, the undead prince was only slightly hindered. He never liked crowds in the first place, but then again he had grown used to it. Coming out of his own comfort zone, he occasionally waved to some of the passers-by.

This soon caught Sphinx's eye. "Prince, don't do that," he hissed. "You're only drawing attention to yourself."

The Mummy shrugged. "It's the polite thing to do," he reasoned.

Apparently not amused, Sphinx rolled his eyes. _This is the last time he comes out in public with me,_ he thought, _or **anyone** for that matter…  
_

_------------------------------------------------  
_

At last, the trio finally made it to the Abydos museum. The size and grandeur of the place attracted thousands of visitors, but often they stayed for the wonderful exhibits, most of which had been provided by one generous donator in particular…

"Sphinx, you've outdone yourself," Bas-Ket commented, looking up at all the magnificent creatures on display. "Do you really need to donate any more? It's hard to imagine there are any animals left in Egypt!"

Before Sphinx could reply, the Mummy had once again caught his eye. The undead prince had wandered off again; thankfully, he hadn't gone too far. He stood at the opposite end of the hall, admiring the huge preserved cadaver of a Giant Green Worm- a vicious creature with a bite as nasty as its temperament.

As Sphinx turned around to go back for the Mummy, an anthro jackal mother and her pup stopped to look at the very same exhibit. "Mommy," said the young child, pointing to Prince Tut, "look at the mummy!"

Quickly, the mother grabbed her child's hand. "Don't do that, honey," she scolded. "It's rude to point."

It was then that the Mummy's curiosity got the better of him. He leaned forward to get a better look at the creature's mouth when suddenly, the jaws slammed shut over his upper body. Panicked, he kicked and screamed wildly, trying to break free of the creature's mouth.

The jackal pup laughed. "Funny mummy!" she squealed.

Of course, the jackal mother couldn't help but chuckle a little. "How clever," she murmured as she and her child moved on to the next exhibit. "These exhibits keep getting more and more interesting each time I visit."

Sphinx smirked. Although a bit shocked, he wasn't surprised; he had always suspected that Prince Tut was a bit clumsy, but this proved it.

A soft, feathered hand touched the demigod's shoulder. "Sphinx?" a male voice inquired. "Is that you?"

Glancing over his shoulder, Sphinx turned about and shook the hand of a tall anthro ibis, dressed in regal attire worn only by notable scholars. "Tehuti," he greeted. "It's good to see you again."

"Nice to see you, too," Tehuti replied, peering at the satchel Sphinx carried over his arm. "Have you any specimens for me today?"

The demigod nodded, handing him two "capture beetles"- each one containing a single monster. "One Almost-A-Bull, and one Cyclops," he reported. "I think they'll make excellent additions."

Tehuti nodded, taking the capture beetles. "Excellent," he remarked. "You have no idea how much both Aquila and I appreciate your help in restoring our wonderful museum."

Suddenly, Sphinx remembered something. "Speaking of Aquila, I have something for him to look at," he informed, taking out the small leather bag. "It's a rare jewel a friend of mine found in the Heliopolis bazaar."

Curious, Tehuti took a quick look inside the bag. "Oh, my!" he commented. "This does indeed look rare." He closed up the bag, giving it back to Sphinx. "Aquila is in the back, analyzing some of the other recovered jewels. I'm sure he'll be quite pleased with this find."

With a quick nod, Sphinx turned back around and sauntered off. He needed to show this new discovery of his to Aquila immediately.

Soon, another familiar voice spoke up. "Um, Sphinx," Bas-Ket said, striding next to the young demigod, "haven't you forgotten something?"

Confused, Sphinx stopped, giving Bas-Ket an odd glance. "What do you mean by that?" he questioned. "I haven't forgotten anything."

A sudden scream alerted Sphinx. Quickly, he turned his head to see the poor Mummy, still stuck in the mouth of the Giant Green Worm. Apparently, all that kicking and screaming hadn't freed him yet.

Sighing heavily, Sphinx ran back over to the anthro ibis. "Tehuti!" he called out. "I have one more favor!"

The avian curator turned about. "Yes, what is it?" he inquired.

Sphinx jerked his thumb towards his distressed companion. "Somehow, my friend seems to have been devoured by one of the exhibits," he explained. "Do you think you can help him out?"

The anthro ibis rolled his eyes. "Come with me," he muttered, walking over to a lever next to the exhibit. "You wouldn't believe how many times it's happened before."

Once Tehuti pulled the lever, the beast's mouth opened and the Mummy tumbled out. "Ooh, my head," he groaned. "What happened?"

"You were caught in the jaws of a Giant Green Worm," Tehuti answered. "Unusual creatures, really- their reflexes are still very much intact long after they're dead. There is a way to disable those reflexes, but it would mean having the lower jaw fall off, and we like to keep our exhibits in one piece."

The Mummy rose to his feet, standing uneasily. "That really hurt," he complained. "There ought to be warning signs on these exhibits."

Cocking his eyebrows, Sphinx pointed to a small sign right next to the Giant Green Worm exhibit:

****

WARNING

**This exhibit has unusual qualities that may cause unnatural movement. Please do not stand too close to the cadaver, as these unnatural movements may cause severe injuries. Thank you.**

**-_Abydos Museum, Natural History Department  
_**

**_  
_**

Tehuti frowned a little. "Thankfully, the worst case we've had was only a minor neck wound," he informed. "However, we aren't taking chances. The new security department should arrive in a few days."

Irritated, Sphinx took the Mummy by his hand and dragged him out of the nature wing of the museum. "Let's go, Prince," he murmured. "I have to see a man about a rare jewel…"

---------------------------------------

Meanwhile, in a huge dimly lit room at the opposite end of the museum, an anthro eagle sat at his work-desk. Like his associate, he too wore a modestly exquisite suit, signifying his position in the museum. Using a special eyeglass, he carefully analyzed what seemed to be a rare jewel. He muttered to himself, making careful notations of his findings.

It was then that Sphinx, the Mummy, and Bas-Ket made their entrance. "Aquila," the demigod addressed. "I have something for you."

Of course, Aquila was still busied in his work. "In a moment," he muttered. "I'm working on something."

While Sphinx made himself comfortable in the corner of the room, Bas-Ket and the Mummy wandered about, taking in all the gorgeous jewels surrounding them. "Wow," the enchanted basket commented. "You would have to be a god to afford all this!"

"That's why the museum doesn't own many of the jewels," Aquila responded. "Most of them are on long-term loans from local deities, the pharaoh, and even other museums."

Once again, the Mummy became quite curious with his surroundings. He often found himself gazing at some of the more exquisite of jewels, captivated by their beauty. He reached out and took one down from the shelf, fingering it curiously and glancing at his reflection in the jewel.

Sphinx soon saw this and gave the Mummy a cold glare. "Don't even think about it," he snapped. "Some of those jewels are very fragile, and they're all irreplaceable."

Discouraged, the Mummy placed the jewel back on the shelf. "You know, you don't give me enough credit," he informed. "I might be undead, and maybe a little clumsy-"

"_That's_ an understatement," Sphinx interrupted.

Although angered, the Mummy continued with his rant. "In any case," he said, "I'm still the young boy-king I once was, and what do you treat me like??"

The demigod sighed, giving the undead prince a sidelong look. "Pardon my short temper, Prince," he replied, almost halfheartedly. "I just prefer working alone; I can only put up with so much nonsense in one day."

The Mummy seated himself beside Sphinx, putting his hand of his shoulder. "Well, that's just your luck," he remarked, adding a small grin. "It looks like you and I are going to be together for quite a while."

Before either one could say anything, a loud scream alerted them- Aquila had jumped out of his seat in shock. Large, colorful shards lay on the table; it used to be a priceless jewel. "No!" he cried. "The Jewel of Thebes! It's ruined! Oh, the whole city will be after my tail-end for this!"

Bas-Ket sat atop the table beside the shards, blushing. "Oops," he squeaked. "Sorry about that, Aquila. I didn't mean to scare you like that."

Needless to say, this did little to calm Aquila's nerves. "Oh, Ra!" he exclaimed. "What am I going to do??"

Quickly, the Mummy rushed over. "It's okay," he responded, gathering up the pieces. "I can fix this. After all the times I've broken precious valuables, I know how to repair them too."

The anthro eagle calmed down somewhat, and after taking a moment to catch his breath he turned to Sphinx. "What can I do for you?" he inquired.

Taking the small pouch out of his satchel, Sphinx handed the intriguing artifact to Aquila. "One of my friends found this in a bazaar," he explained. "His wife gave this to me- she said it was too rich for their trade routes."

Carefully, Aquila took the jewel out of the pouch- it was a large egg-shaped sapphire, with a gilded gold base that formed around it to form a jackal's head (with two small rubies for eyes). "My, this is rare," he commented, using his special eyeglass to get a closer look at the details. "This is the Jewel of Anubis."

Of course, Sphinx was a little perplexed by this (after all, the jewel was found in Heliopolis, and Anubis was the local deity). "Okay," he said uneasily.

"Once more," Aquila continued, "I don't believe this jewel has been out of Anubis' shrine in ages." He glanced at Sphinx and cocked his eyebrows. "Most likely, this friend of yours bought it from a thief."

The demigod shook his head. "Khenti," he groaned. "Alright- maybe I should take the jewel back to Anubis. I'm sure he'll be more than happy to have it back."

Aquila, however, held fast to the jewel. "I wouldn't be so sure," he responded. "If this jewel was stolen before, it could be at risk of being taken again. It would be better if the museum held onto it."

Just the same, Sphinx had his own doubts. "Are you sure?" he queried. "What about what happened-"

Suddenly, Aquila became very defensive. "That's all in the past," he assured. "Besides, I'm sure Tehuti has already told you about the new security system we're looking into."

Although still unsure, Sphinx nodded in agreement. "Alright," he said, "if you're sure." He turned to his companions and gestured to the door. "Let's go- we need to get back."

After having fiddled with the jewel for quite some time, the Mummy finally had all of the pieces reassembled. "There!" he exclaimed, presenting his fine artwork. "Done!"

However, the jewel quickly slipped through the Mummy's hand bandages, crashing to the floor. Now the jewel had been broken into more pieces than before; it seemed almost beyond repair!

Embarrassed (and a tad afraid), the undead prince chuckled nervously. "Well," he squeaked, glancing at Aquila, "it's the thought that counts, right?"

Aquila's temper rose dramatically; his face was flushed, hid feathers fluffed, and his eyes burned with a deep hatred. "Out, out, out!" he screamed.

Quickly, Sphinx grabbed Bas-Ket from off the table and took the Mummy's hand. He sprinted out of the jewel corridor and ran outside…

----------------------------------------

Once the demigod and his companions were finally outside the museum, they stopped for a moment. Sphinx leaned against a nearby pillar and caught his breath, giving the Mummy a sidelong look. "Well," he gasped, "I hope you're happy."

Of course, the Mummy did what he could to justify himself. "Come on!" he whined. "I'm sorry- I really am!"

With a heavy sigh, Sphinx got his bearings and turned to the Mummy. "Prince, 'sorry' won't put a priceless jewel back together," he spat. "Besides, we should be leaving anyway. I have a few more places to go before returning back to Sun Shrine Island."

It was then that a new voice interrupted their conversation. "Sphinx!" a feminine voice shrilled. "Sphinx! Oh, it is simply wonderful to see you!"

Perplexed, Sphinx turned about to see a tall anthro ibis woman, wearing a long decorative dress with a matching diadem. She seemed to be well advanced in years, but it fit her persona perfectly. "Mayet," he greeted with a small smile. "So good to see you… again."

The ibis woman approached Sphinx, greeting him with a warm embrace. "It certainly is," she agreed, letting go of him. "How are you these days? I do hope you've been taking care of yourself."

Sphinx nodded accordingly. "Yes, Mayet," he answered. "In fact, I-"

Before he could continue, Mayet pulled Sphinx forward and carefully examined him. "You do seem healthy," she murmured, then gasping in shock. "My word- you're nothing but skin and bones! You can't be eating well!"

The demigod chuckled nervously. "Mayet, I'm fine," he assured. "What I was going to say was-"

"Oh, and just look at this!" Mayet cried, noting the scars on Sphinx's arm. "We'll need to have that taken care of."

Now Sphinx was becoming impatient. "Really, Mayet," he insisted, "I'm fine!"

Needless to say, Mayet was more concerned with the young hero's health. "You have a little something on your chin," she whispered, taking out a handkerchief. "Here, let me get that for you-"

Suddenly, Mayet was quickly interrupted by Sphinx. "Mayet!" he screamed, gently pushing away. "I'm fine."

Although shocked for a moment, Mayet understood. "I'm sorry, Sphinx," she apologized. "It's just… oh, I worry about you."

The Mummy looked over at Sphinx, giving him a confused glance. "Who's she?" he inquired.

Sighing, Sphinx approached the ibis woman. "This is Mayet," he began, patting her on the shoulder. "When I first arrived in Abydos, she showed me around and helped me out. Ever since then, she has been kind enough to take me in whenever I visit."

Mayet blushed slightly. "Oh, honestly!" she chimed. "You flatter me!"

Bas-Ket, however, was still quite puzzled. "You sure she's a stranger?" he queried. "She sounds more like your grandmother to me."

A smirk crossed Sphinx's face. "You have to forgive her," he whispered. "It's part of her personality- she's a very loving old lady." He sighed and added, "It's a shame she has no kids or grand-kids to spoil rotten."

The enchanted basket chuckled lightly. "So you thought you'd come in and fill that void?" he joked.

Laughing, Sphinx shook his head. "Not exactly," he admitted. "Actually, she kind of _forced_ me into it."

Surprised, Mayet gave Sphinx a quick slap on the wrist. "Oh, stop it!" she said sternly. "You were hungry, hurt, and tired; I wasn't about to let you continue on your little quest in that condition!"

Sphinx rolled his eyes. _Here we go again,_ he thought.

"I don't care how strong you are," Mayet continued in her scolding. "You're still a growing boy that needs proper care."

Perplexed, the Mummy glanced at Bas-Ket. "Proper care?" he repeated. "What is he- a guy or an animal?"

With a heavy sigh, Bas-Ket replied, "You know, it keeps getting harder to tell the difference."

Of course, Sphinx wasn't oblivious to the side conversation; he slowly raised his foot and pressed down firmly on Bas-Ket's head, just enough to keep him from going anywhere. "Well, we'd love to stay, Mayet," he assured, "but we really have to get back- Imhotep is waiting for us back home."

The ibis lady nodded. "Of course," she answered, gently embracing Sphinx. "You take care of yourself now. Don't forget that you and your little friends can visit me here anytime."

The demigod smiled, waving good-bye as he and the undead prince sauntered off, followed closely by the squat little basket. They were done in Abydos; they needed to return to Heliopolis to pay a visit to a few more friends…

* * *

Later on in the afternoon, a small barge docked near the once cursed palace of Heliopolis. Due to recent events, the area had been abandoned for the most part. However, there were a few inhabitants still left. In fact, two of them lived quite close to the palace.

Once the boat had been secured, Sphinx strode onto the dock. "Next stop," he murmured, "the farmers."

Upon hearing this, the Mummy rolled his eyes. "Now, that's great," he complained as he and Bas-Ket followed Sphinx. "You said you had important errands to run!"

"I never said that," Sphinx corrected, almost crossly. "I said I needed to visit a few people. They have helped us both along the journey, and they all deserve to hear about my progress." He gave the Mummy a sidelong look, adding, "Besides, these farmers found one of your Canopic Jars in their fields; you should be grateful."

The Mummy groaned in frustration. "You keep saying that!" he cried, following Sphinx into the farmers' field. "You're the one with all the close friends and acquaintances. What do I have to be thankful for??"

Quickly, Sphinx hushed Prince Tut. "I think I hear something," he murmured, peering into a steep patch of dirt. "Hapi? Is that you in there?"

A mangy old anthro mutt poked his head out of the ground, glancing up at Sphinx. "Hey!" he piped up, slightly muffled by his lack of teeth. "You're the young whippersnapper who dun saved our farm!"

Sphinx smiled awkwardly. "Yeah," he replied, "it's me. Any chance that your brother's around?"

Hapi nodded, hopping out of his hole in the ground. He took a moment to brush off all of the dirt and mud from his humble attire before looking up again. "Sure, he is," he answered, turning to the farmhouse. "Hey- Suti!"

Another similar voice responded to the call. "Yeah?"

"That young whippersnapper's here!"

"What?"

"It's Sphinx- the fella who dun saved our farm!"

"Who?"

"Sphinx!"

"Well, what does he want??"

"I dunno! I'll ask him!"

Confused, the Mummy turned to Sphinx. "How come they're yelling?" he asked.

The demigod gestured at his pointed ears. "Suti and Hapi are loosing their hearing," he explained. "Just one of the many things people tend to loose with age."

It was then that a taller mangy old anthro mutt sauntered outside, leaning slightly on his worn walking stick. He was older, but still very much like his brother. They even wore similar clothes!

The younger of the two siblings turned to Sphinx and his companions. "So, what're you up to?" he inquired.

With a heavy sigh, Sphinx shrugged. "Not much these days," he admitted. "I'm sure you've heard the big news."

Suti nodded. "You betcha," he confirmed, rolling his eyes. "Mr. High-and-Mighty made a proclamation about the whole thing. Surprised he hasn't raised taxes yet!"

Sphinx shook his head. "You know, guys," he muttered, "maybe it's time you forgave Anubis. Sure, he made a couple mistakes- could you really blame him?"

Needless to say, Suti was none too happy about this. "Blame him? Blame him??" he snapped. "Of course we blame him! He imprisoned my brother, he ruined our farmland, and he… he…" He scratched his head and thought for a moment. "…I forget what I was yelling about."

Chuckling lightly, Bas-Ket leaned in towards the Mummy. "That's another thing that tends to go with age," he whispered.

Though amused, Sphinx had other things on his mind. "As much as we'd like to stay," he commented, "my friends and I need to be moving along."

Hapi smiled and nodded. "Well then, you better get going," he remarked. "Dun wanna keep them folks waiting."

As Sphinx and his companions walked off, Suti joined his younger brother in waving good-bye. "So long, fellas!" he called out. "Y'all come back now, you hear!"

Bas-Ket waddled up next to Sphinx, giving him an odd glance. "Now where to, our trusty navigator?"

"The Bedouin Outpost," Sphinx replied. "I have one last person to pay a visit to before we head for home…"

-------------------------------------------

After having trudged along the South Desert of Heliopolis, the unusual trio finally made it to a relatively small camp settled near the beach. A few tents were set up, along with a makeshift sentry tower and a dock. A small population of people actually lived there, although quite a lot of folks passed through the area.

A warm smile crossed Sphinx's face. "The Bedouin Outpost," he murmured.

The Mummy brushed past Sphinx and took a closer look at the place. "Nice little place," he complimented. "I wonder why I haven't heard of it."

Bas-Ket followed the demigod as he sauntered over to a nearby tent. "Probably because it's a small settlement," he responded. "Still, local travelers know it very well because of it's convenient location; some of your servants have probably come across it a few times."

Nodding, the Mummy followed Sphinx into the tent, with Bas-Ket close behind. "So, who are we here to see, anyway?" the undead prince asked.

It was then that a loud female voice called out- a clear and vibrant shrilling. It came from the mouth of a pleasantly plump anthro hyena, dressed in colorful garbs usually associated with healers. She danced about in a circle, banging her small tambourine as a badly hurt fellow stood before her.

Of all the new, odd, and exciting things the Mummy had seen that day, this had to be the craziest he'd seen yet. "Sphinx," he muttered warily, "please tell me that she's not out of her mind."

Sphinx cocked his eyebrows in disbelief. "What?" he questioned. "You've never seen a healing ritual?"

Perplexed, the Mummy shrugged. "My brother and I hardly ever got sick," he admitted. "Even then, our mother brought in the finest doctors, and none of them ever did something quite like this."

The anthro hyena soon quieted down, approaching her customer in an average fashion. "Done," she said, holding out her hand. "That will be 50 scarabs."

The man reached into his pocket, pulling out a handful of coins shaped like scarabs. "That should cover it," he commented, adding a smile. "Thank you again, ma'am. This is just what I needed after a long trek through the desert, especially with all those monsters out there."

Smiling, the anthro hyena dropped the scarabs into her pocket and showed her customer the door. "You take care of yourself now," she advised as the young man left. "Good-bye!" She turned about, and her eyes lit up the moment she saw Sphinx. "Ooh, child- good to see you around!"

A laugh escaped him as Sphinx embraced his festive friend. "Shetta," he addressed, "how are you? It looks like business has picked up."

"Indeed, it has!" Shetta cried. "Word about your victory has spread like a plague of locusts. Now that people know you've been coming here for your healings, business has been better than ever!"

The demigod grinned. "I bet it has," he remarked.

Just the same, the Mummy was still a tad confused. "So, you're a healer?" he inquired. "How good are you?"

Shetta laughed heartily, having not yet seen the Mummy. "Ooh, very good…" she answered, when suddenly her eyes fell upon the undead prince, "… but not that good- honey, you need a _sorcerer_."

Sphinx nodded. "That's exactly what he's getting," he informed. "If Imhotep can find another way to restore the prince to his human form-"

Quickly Shetta, wide-eyed in disbelief, interrupted Sphinx. "_Prince??_ Prince Tutankhamun?!" she gasped, kneeling in reverence. "Your Highness, I had no idea! Forgive me!"

The Mummy smirked. "Well, it's nice to have a little respect," he muttered, giving Sphinx a sidelong look before gesturing to Shetta. "You may stand."

Standing, Shetta approached the Mummy, laying a hand on his shoulder. "I don't know if there's anything I can do for you, Prince," she admitted, "but if I find anything that might help, I'll let you know."

Touched, the Mummy smiled awkwardly. "Thanks," he murmured.

With a light sigh, Sphinx turned towards the tent flap. "Well, we'd better get going," he said. "Imhotep is waiting for us."

The anthro hyena, however, had other ideas. "Are you sure you can't stay just a while longer?" she queried. "After everything that's happened, don't you think you deserve a free healing?"

Though it was a kind and generous offer, Sphinx knew better than that. "You're just looking for more publicity, aren't you?" he questioned.

Cocking her eyebrows, Shetta gave Sphinx a dubious look. "Honey, that ain't none of your business," she snapped.

The demigod rolled his eyes. "Fine," he agreed. "One healing session…"

------------------------------------------

On the barge sailing back to Sun Shrine Island, Sphinx laid back on one of the benches. The Mummy sat opposite the demigod, admiring the riverbanks and the golden sunset. Bas-Ket made himself comfortable in the corner of the boat, snoozing after all the trudging about they had done.

Sphinx opened his eyes, quietly studying the undead prince. He looked unusually upset; sure, he had complained somewhat over the course of their journey, but this time he seemed… sad.

The Mummy sighed. "Hello, Sphinx," he muttered. "Awake already?"

A smirk crossed Sphinx's face as he sat up, leaning against the side of the boat. "I wasn't really that tired anyway," he replied. "Besides, I couldn't help but notice… well, you look upset."

For a moment, the Mummy remained silent. He couldn't possibly expect Sphinx to understand what had happened to him. "I don't know," he whined, slouching over the side. "It's just… you know so many people, Sphinx, and they all care about you."

Needless to say, this was a tad confusing to the demigod. "Yes," he answered warily, "… and… you're upset about this?"

"I'm not!" spat the undead prince. "It's just…" He sighed heavily. "Everyone I ever knew or cared about thinks I'm dead. My brother must be absolutely devastated… and Nefertiti- my fiancée!"

Shaking his head, Sphinx stood and approached the Mummy. "Listen," he began, sitting beside him, "don't get so worked up aboutit. You'll be back to your old self in no time." He turned away and leaned over the boat. "That said, leave me to worry about my own problems. No disrespect, Prince, but I've had just about enough of your curiousity for one day."

This did little to deter the Mummy. "Are you upset about something?" he asked, oblivious to the past events.

Irritated, Sphinx groaned. "I already told you," he reminded. "I'm at my best when I'm alone. Having you follow me around feels like I'm your baby-sitter."

The Mummy cocked his eyebrows. "So, you're a loner," he commented, rolling his eyes. "I can't understand why you have so many friends."

Sphinx shook his head. "Those people you met are more along the lines of… acquaintances," he corrected. "I've only had one friend in my life- we did a lot together. We even started our training at the same time, and went on missions as a team." He sighed in dismay. "Of course, those days are long gone, and now we're mortal enemies."

Intrigued, the Mummy stared at Sphinx. "Who?" he inquired.

At that moment, the barge had reached a familiar place. "Sun Shrine Island!" the boat captain announced. "All ashore that's going ashore!"

As Sphinx and the Mummy departed the boat, a tall figure approached them. He was about the same age as Sphinx, and wore dark black and violet clothing with golden arm and leg guards. A small hood contrasted against his most notable feature- a hawk's head. "Sphinx," he addressed coolly, "it's so nice to see you again."

The demigod sneered in disgust. "Horus," he spat.

Surprised, the Mummy approached the two 'friends'. "You two know each other?" he queried.

Horus chuckled. "Know each other??" he repeated, grabbing the Mummy by the shoulder. "Prince… we have only been _friends_ and _cohorts_ since before we could walk! We're practically related!" He gave the demigod a sidelong look. "Isn't that right, _Sphinx_?"

Still miffed about their past rivalry, Sphinx snorted. "I wouldn't go that far," he muttered.

Looking over his comrade's shoulder, Horus laughed. "Ah, Sphinx," he remarked, "did you… forget something?"

It was then that an alarming cry shot out from the distance. "Sphinx!" Bas-Ket cried out from the boat, now some distance from the shore. "Sphinx! I'm stuck on the boat, Sphinx! Help!!"

A heavy sigh escaped Sphinx as he turned from Horus and the Mummy, approaching the dock. "I'll be back," he murmured, diving into the water.

The anthro hawk leaned aside, whispering in the Mummy's ear. "Between you and me, I think he has a jealousy problem," he hissed. "Being a full deity, I possess more power and skill than Sphinx could ever hope for. Since we started our training, he just isn't able to accept the fact that I'm better than him."

A smirk crossed the Mummy's face, as he had come up with a brilliant idea. "So," he began, looking Horus straight in the eye, "if you're so much better than he is, why did you go to Set for help?"

Shocked, Horus stepped back. "How… how did you know that??" he gasped.

"I have my ways," the Mummy simply answered.

In his growing fury, Horus grabbed the Mummy's shoulder once more, this time digging his claws into the linen wraps. "Congratulations, Prince Tutankhamun," he growled. "You've just lost one good friend, and gained a far worse enemy."

As Horus stormed off, the Mummy grinned in satisfactory. "I pity the poor half-wit that has him for a good friend," he commented.

Suddenly, a voice from behind interrupted his moment of glory. "Prince?"

Turning around, the Mummy noticed Sphinx, with Bas-Ket standing beside him. The demigod was wet from head to toe, and his face showed confusion. "Why did you do that?" he questioned.

The undead prince shrugged. "You were being insulted, so I thought I'd do you a favor," he replied. "I believe it was one of my own scholars who once said, 'tact is for those who aren't witty enough to be sarcastic'."

Sphinx smirked. "You know, Prince," he remarked, "I'm starting to like you."

The Mummy smiled sheepishly. "So… does that mean we can be friends?" he inquired.

After a moment of thought, Sphinx stared at the Mummy. "Sure," he said with a heavy sigh, "why not?"

With a wide smile, the Mummy extended his arm for a handshake. Perhaps things weren't so bad for him after all.

The demigod accepted his newfound companion's gesture of friendship, then gestured to the temple. "Come on," he muttered, "let's get inside. Maybe Imhotep found something that might help you…"

----------------------------------------

As Sphinx and the Mummy headed into the main corridor of the temple, Bas-Ket trotted ahead of them. "Imhotep!" he called out. "We're back!"

The elder sorcerer entered the room, carrying a large book of assorted books. "Ah, Sphinx, Prince Tutankhamun," he addressed, setting the book aside, "I see your short expedition went well."

"I guess," Sphinx commented with a shrug. "Nothing unusual- just paying my respects to old friends."

It was then that Imhotep remembered something. "Oh, that reminds me," he noted, turning to the Mummy. "Prince, I have a surprise for you."

A smile crossed the Mummy's face as he followed Imhotep into the other room. "Oh, what is it??" the undead prince asked excitedly. "Have you found a way to turn me back to my old form?"

At that moment, a feminine figure approached the Mummy. She was about his age, although she appeared more developed than her undead friend. She was a lovely sight indeed- her soft fair skin blended well with her turquoise dress and golden jewelry. Her most notable features, however, were in the gentle features of her alluring face and short auburn hair.

The young woman glanced at the Mummy, unsure of herself. "Tutankhamun?" she queried. "Is that… you?"

The Mummy gasped in disbelief; he recognized that beautiful young woman. "Nefertiti!" he cried.

Nefertiti embraced the undead prince, a small tear escaping her. "I don't believe it," she whispered. "Tutankhamun… I don't understand… how did this happen?"

Imhotep sighed. "A mixture of dark magic and the proper implements," he answered. "Do not dismay, Lady Nefertiti- we will find a way to return the prince to his true form."

As all this was happening, Sphinx had made his way into the small room. "Lady Nefertiti?" he inquired. "What are you doing here?"

Letting go of her fiancé, Nefertiti looked at Sphinx and wiped a tear from her eye. "I came to see my prince," she replied. "Imhotep said that there could be a way to bring him back to life, and that you were nearly there." She gave the Mummy a sidelong look. "Of course, I wasn't aware that the process would take longer than I had hoped for."

The undead prince lowered his head in despair. There was no way she was going to marry him now- not in his condition.

A hand rested on the Mummy's shoulder. "Do not worry, Tutankhamun," she assured. "I will wait for you, even for a thousand years."

Glancing up at Nefertiti, the Mummy smiled weakly. "Really?" he asked. "You… you mean it?"

"Of course," Nefertiti said, kneeling down to his level. "I love you, Tutankhamun; never forget that."

Sphinx rolled his eyes. "Oh, for the love of Ra," he muttered.

It was then that a taller, more manly figure stepped into the room. He wore a regal navy blue outfit, adorned with golden jewelry. Clearly, this was the face of the pharaoh- what was he doing there, of all places? "Imhotep," he snapped, "where is that brother of mine?? You told me he would be here."

Surprised, the Mummy shot a glance over to the pharaoh. "Ahkenaten??" he gasped. "Is it really you?!"

Turning about, Ahkenaten saw the Mummy, gasping in disbelief. "What **is**that hideous creature?!" he cried.

The younger demigod sighed and rolled his eyes. "Lord Ahkenaten," he addressed, gesturing to the Mummy, "that _hideous creature_ is your brother."

Shocked, Ahkenaten turned to Imhotep. "Is this true??" he questioned. "Is that really my brother?!"

The anthro baboon sighed heavily and nodded. "I'm afraid so, my Lord," he answered. "The afterlife has left quite a mark on young Prince Tutankhamun. Still, I'm sure there must be some way we can cure him of the predicament he seems to be in."

The Mummy smiled, approaching the pharaoh. "It's so good to see you again, my brother!" he chimed, embracing his elder sibling.

Nervously, Ahkenaten stood motionless for a moment. "Yes," he murmured, gently pushing his brother away, "it is nice to see you as well… Tutankhamun…"

Of course, there was one thing that still concerned the undead prince. "What of your advisor?" he queried.

Ahkenaten scoffed. "Menes?" he commented. "I threw out that old hag right on the spot." He crossed his arms forcefully, muttering to himself, "Lock me in a cold, dark, damp dungeon…"

Anxious, the Mummy turned to Imhotep. "May I go back to Luxor?" he asked. "Please, Imhotep- I have no friends here, and I would so like to return and be among my friends and family. Please??"

With yet another heaved sigh, Imhotep shook his head. "I'm afraid not, Prince," he advised. "Your condition would greatly upset those of your kingdom; it's best that this situation be kept as low-key as possible."

Nefertiti came up beside her fiancé. "Tutankhamun," she said, "this is for the best. Imhotep has been gracious enough to let you stay here with him until you are whole again." She smiled, adding, "Besides, I have arranged it so that I may visit you often."

Although still upset about his predicament, the Mummy was at least happy to hear this. "Thank you," he whispered, hugging Nefertiti.

Sphinx shook his head. "How truly heartwarming," he remarked sarcastically. "I don't know why I'd rather be out on my own than watch this lovely little dinner theater."

"My sentiments exactly," a bold voice from behind him stated.

Quickly, Sphinx turned about to see who it was. A tall dark figure approached him. His attire was similar to that of Horus, only more regal and with shades of black and deep red. The hood was forsaken for a simple headdress, outlining the face of a black jackal.

At that moment, Sphinx knelt down before the figure and laid his sword on the ground. "Lord Anubis," he addressed.

Anubis smirked, gesturing to the young demigod. "Stand," he permitted. "Again, Sphinx, I commend you on your efforts at defeating Set. It was necessary that he be put in his place."

As Sphinx stood, he nodded in agreement. "So, why did you want to see me again?" he inquired. "All the danger is gone and out of the way."

The anthro jackal lowered his head slightly. "Not entirely," he explained. "Set still has ties to the outside world, and these ties need to be eliminated. We cannot take chances at having him gain his power again, and who better than an experienced warrior?"

The young demigod smiled. "I would be honored," he replied.

Looking over Sphinx's shoulder, Anubis noticed the Mummy. "Ah, Prince Tutankhamun," he noted. "I understand that you are still trapped in that form. Have no fear, for I have made sure that other alternatives will be taken."

The Mummy grinned slightly. "I appreciate your concern, Lord Anubis," he assured, glancing at Nefertiti and Ahkenaten. "We all do."

Clearing his throat, Anubis turned back to Sphinx. "Well, I suppose I should give you your first mission," he commented. "Your task is simple- one of my jewels has been stolen, and I need you to retrieve it. The best place to start looking would probably be the Heliopolis bazaar."

Before he could say anything, Sphinx remembered one important detail- he knew of the jewel Anubis spoke of. In fact, it was probably the same jewel he had given to Aquila at the Abydos museum. "The Jewel of Anubis?" he guessed.

The jackal deity raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Yes, that's it!" he commended. "How did you know?"

Taking out his sword, Sphinx turned about and began walking out. "Let's just say I had a hunch," he murmured.

Unnerved, Imhotep followed his apprentice to the doorway. "Sphinx," he addressed, "don't you think you ought to rest before going out again?"

Sphinx turned about, giving everyone within a sour look. "No," he spat, storming outside. "The sooner I find that jewel, the better!"

As Sphinx strode off, Bas-Ket stepped forward. "Oh, boy," he muttered. "Here we go again…"

------------------

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THE END

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Next Time, on** SPHINX: The Series**…

**__**

Duel of the Demigods

Horus challenges Sphinx to a hands-on duel- winner takes the Blade of Osiris. Who will come out the champion??

See you next time!


	3. Duel of the Demigods

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SPHINX: The Series

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Duel of the Demigods

* * *

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Farther away, in the land of Uruk, a huge menacing castle stood among the rocky canyons and chasms of lava. There was a time when this land was more alive and full of life, but it had improved somewhat since the recent dilemma with the local deity dwelling within the castle.

In the dark corridors of the palace court, a tall dark figure strode slowly back and forth. His black and deep red garments contrasted well with his gnarled gray skin. His face, however, showed a striking contrast- it was smooth and white, although his lips and eyes were outlined in black. Once more, the black-and-white headdress adorning his head also drew attention.

The figure snarled in disgust. His humiliating overthrow had severely weakened him, though by all means he was still alive and well. Nevertheless, he was determined to have total control of the kingdom and the entire world, and he would do so by any means necessary.

A smaller figure, this one an elder woman, entered the room. Her clothes were a brighter red, but that never made her any better than her dark master. "Lord Set," she murmured, "your spy is here."

Set smirked slightly. "Send him in," he permitted.

With a swift hand gesture, the elder woman gestured to the door. Yet another figure stepped inside, yet in contrast he was surprisingly young. His attire was much like that of Set, only more suited for an adventurer and made up of deep reds and violets. A small hood contrasted the hawk's head he had upon his shoulders. "Master," he addressed, "I have received word of Sphinx and his whereabouts."

Intrigued, Set turned to the young anthro hawk. "Go on, Horus," he pressed.

"Once more," Horus continued, "with the Mummy in his possession, he is sure to gain an advantage. If he can manage to survive within the castle walls, especially considering all the traps, who knows what else he knows!"

Needless to say, this was of little concern to Set. "Never mind the Mummy," he advised, glaring at Horus. "That Sphinx fellow has been our main enemy. He has fulfilled the Prophecy of Ra; clearly, we underestimated him." He grinned and added, "Of course, we have other options."

Perplexed, Horus followed the Dark Lord as he approached a small shaft in the castle walls. "What options??" he questioned. "It's not as if your beasts did any damage- he has made a mockery of them! You would need a skillful warrior to best him!"

Fingering his way through the various locks and spells, Set gave Horus a sidelong glance. "I'm glad you proposed that idea, Horus," he remarked, "as you will be the warrior I send. You said yourself that you are far better than him- now is your chance to prove it."

Of course, Horus was still very confused. "How, Lord Set??" he snapped. "I don't even have a weapon!"

It was then that Set reached back into the shaft, pulling out a long, slightly curved blade. It was about the same size as any average sword; however, this sword seemed to be surrounded by a dark mystical force. It was the exact opposite of the coveted Blade of Osiris in every way.

Set smiled. "Now you do," he hissed.

The anthro hawk reached over, taking the blade by the handle. He stepped back, testing it out with a few good swings. Indeed, it was powerful enough to do quite a lot of damage, and in the hands of a skilled warrior it was a destructive force to be reckoned with.

A smirk crossed Horus' curved beak. "This will do for now," he murmured.

Scowling a little, Set lowered his head. "Your mission is clear," he stated gravely. "Bring me the head of Sphinx, and you shall be greatly rewarded."

Horus scoffed, taking the blade and leaving the presence of the Dark Lord. "Yes, my Master," he growled.

The elder woman looked up at Set, giving him a look of disbelief. "My Lord, are you sure of this?" she inquired. "I could just as easily have concocted an incantation to destroy that meddling demigod, and you trust a mere boy to eliminate him?"

Set chuckled evilly. "Patience, Menes," he advised. "My own manifestations work against each other for my own purposes; jealousy just happens to be the motive behind this _unfortunate_ incident…"

* * *

Meanwhile, further south in the domain of Heliopolis, an elegant barge sailed down the river Nile towards a small island. Aboard the boat sat a lovely young lady by the name Nefertiti; she sighed wistfully, gazing at the shoreline. This was her first visit to her beloved prince's abode in quite some time, and each day she grew lonelier. She had to see him again.

At last, the barge arrived at a small island off the coast of the sun-swept territory known as Heliopolis. "We've arrived, your majesty," the captain of the boat informed. "Sun Shrine Island."

Nodding, Nefertiti sauntered off the boat and looked around the island. She knew that her prince had been spending time here, hoping to free himself from the wretched curse placed upon him. He was always the curious type, so she knew to look in less-obvious places.

At that moment, a tall anthro baboon walked outside. He was dressed in mystical garments, and carried a rather large book with him. "Lady Nefertiti," he greeted warmly. "How good it is to see you."

Although taken by surprise, Nefertiti quickly regained her composure. "Of course, Imhotep," she commented. "Where is Tutankhamun?"

"He and Sphinx are out and about," Imhotep replied. "The last I heard, they were out on South Beach. You will probably find them there."

Nefertiti smiled. "Thank you, Imhotep," she said, waving to the boat captain. "Set a course for South Beach!"

The captain sighed. "Yes, your majesty…"

When the barge finally docked at South Beach, Nefertiti strolled onto the banks; it didn't take her too long to find Sphinx and Tutankhamun. The undead prince watched in anticipation as the demigod crouched into position behind a boulder, readying his blowpipe and aiming it at a small hole in the canyon wall.

Curious, Nefertiti approached Tutankhamun, laying a hand of his shoulder. Surprised by the touch, he jumped and shrieked.

Quickly, Sphinx turned his head and glared at the prince. "Quiet!" he snapped, then noticing whom else had joined them. "Oh- hello, Lady Nefertiti."

The young lady rolled her eyes. "Sphinx," she murmured, then turning the prince. "Tutankhamun…"

Tutankhamun smiled awkwardly at his lady-friend. They were an odd pairing: a lavishly beautiful queen… and a mummy. It was indeed a curse, but the shell was only temporary (besides, love transcends life and death). "Hi," he greeted, gesturing to the demigod. "Sphinx was just showing me a game."

Again, Nefertiti was slightly perplexed. "Oh?" she inquired.

Sphinx nodded in reply. Here was yet another unusual companion- a demigod with clear lion-like traits. His tanned skin, leather apparel, and tapered black headdress brought out that rugged look in him (not to mention the face-paint and tail).

"So," Nefertiti began, "what game is this?"

It was then that the Mummy grabbed the young girl by her wrist and pulled her down. "Shh!" he hissed. "Here it comes!"

Before Nefertiti could ask, she drew her attention to a small frog-like creature that stumbled out of the hole. It scratched its head with one of its two spindly legs before wandering about a little.

To say the least, Nefertiti was disgusted. "Ew!" she gagged. "What _is_ that hideous creature??"

At that moment, Sphinx blew into the blowpipe. A dart shot out from the implement, hitting the creature in the hind-side. Shocked by the sharp pain, the creature exploded on impact.

Nefertiti gasped in horror, giving Sphinx a sharp glare. "What did you do to it??" she snapped.

The demigod cocked his eyebrows. "I blew up that _hideous creature_ you were talking about earlier," he spat. "Odd- I thought you would have been happy."

In an effort to calm his beloved, Tutankhamun laid his hands on Nefertiti's shoulders. "It's not so bad," he reasoned. "It's just like back at the palace- when we used to chase away all the crows in the courtyard."

Angered, Nefertiti turned to the Mummy. "Except we weren't _hurting_ the crows," she pointed out, "and **they didn't blow up!**"

With a heavy sigh, Sphinx stood from his spot. "Lady Nefertiti, you're making too much out of this," he explained. "The Slim Burbles are too common anyway- consider it pest control."

Sneering, Nefertiti approached Sphinx. "Well, do you know what I think?" she growled, taking the blowpipe from him. "Let me show you!" With that, she grabbed both ends of the blowpipe, raised her knee, and broke the implement into two shattered pieces.

Needless to say, Sphinx was only too quick to respond with a loud string of curses and insults. Nefertiti replied accordingly with her own abusive language.

Fearful, the Mummy turned about and slowly walked away. "This will take a while," he muttered to himself. "I should leave them here; hopefully, their hot tempers will cool down after a while."

It was then that a tale feminine figure approached the mummy and his quibbling companions. She was an attractive anthro hyena, a warm smile across her face. "Prince," she greeted, "how are you?"

The Mummy sighed. "Fine, Ketta," he replied, gesturing to his friends. "I wish I could say the same for Sphinx and Nefertiti."

Glancing over at the two aggressors, Ketta cringed. "Ooh," she murmured, looking back at the Mummy. "What are they fighting over?"

The undead prince shrugged. "Sphinx and I were just playing a game," he answered. "Nefertiti got mad and broke his blowpipe; after that, they just broke out into a fight."

Ketta thought for a moment. "Well, there is a large traveling bazaar that will be in Heliopolis for a few days," she said. "Perhaps one of the merchants has a good blowpipe for sale."

Relieved, the Mummy smiled. "I hope so," he commented. "I'll tell Sphinx as soon as he and Nefertiti stop fighting…"

-----------------------------------------

Later that afternoon, Sphinx wandered through the canyons of the South Desert. The Mummy and Nefertiti had followed him closely, despite what he had in mind…

"For the last time," Sphinx growled impatiently, "go back to the shrine! You're safer there, not to mention less conspicuous."

Just the same, the Mummy had other ideas. "But, I've never seen a bazaar before," he remarked. "I want to see what it's like!"

With a heavy sigh, Sphinx turned to Nefertiti. "Well," he questioned, "aren't you going to talk him out of it??"

Nefertiti placed her hands on her hips. "And, why should I?" she inquired.

Of course, Sphinx was not exactly willing to put up with anymore nonsense. "You're his bride-to-be!" he cried. "Can't you reason with him, or coerce him with something else?"

The young queen shook her head once. "I don't think so," she commented, putting her hand on the Mummy's shoulder. "I think my prince should be able to do whatever he wants, and I think that going to this bazaar would be a good experience for him."

The undead prince nodded. "Yeah!" he agreed, pulling Nefertiti closer to him. "See, this is a great woman! Girls like her are hard to come by!"

Sphinx sighed heavily; apparently, his own ideas were getting him nowhere. "Okay, fine," he replied. "Prince, you can come with-"

Happily, the Mummy ran over and hugged Sphinx. "Oh, thank you!" he chimed. "This is great! I can't wait until-"

It was then that Sphinx gently pushed away. "Hold on a minute," he snapped. "You have to stay with me, at all times. That means you **never** leave my sight!"

The Mummy nodded- he was only more than happy to oblige. "Sure," he agreed.

Yet, Sphinx had more to say. "Also, do you think you could wear a cloak?" he inquired. "I'd rather not have to explain to people why a mummy is following me through the marketplace."

While the Mummy had no problems with these requests, Nefertiti had her own thoughts. "I suppose you want to put him on a leash, too?" she spat.

The demigod rolled his eyes. "Come now, Lady Nefertiti," he said with a smirk. "I trust him enough- couldn't you trust me that way?"

Impressed, the Mummy walked over to Sphinx and put his hand on his shoulder. "Yeah!" he said. "See, this is a great friend! Guys like him are hard to come by!"

Needless to say, Nefertiti was pretty miffed. She swiftly slapped her boyfriend across the face and turned about. "I'm going back to Sun Shrine Island," she hissed. "Have fun at the bazaar." She then muttered (though still audibly), "I hope you step on a sharp rock."

For a moment, the two companions were silent. A wide smile crossed Sphinx's face, glancing at the Mummy out of the corner of his eye. "You know, Prince," he murmured, "your choice of words was perfect."

Sneering, the Mummy sighed heavily. "Be quiet…"

---------------------------------------

About an hour or so later, Sphinx and the Mummy made their way into the heart of Heliopolis. The bazaar was indeed huge, and a massive turnout for both buyers and sellers. Hundreds of tents stretched across the land, along palace walls and into the center of the market.

Quickly, Sphinx turned to the Mummy, dressed in a long brown cloak. "Remember, if anyone asks, you were in a horrible accident," he reminded. "Any other questions?"

"Just one," said the Mummy, wringing out his soaked bandages. "How long do I have to wear this thing? It's really hot under here!"

Sphinx sighed. "Try not to worry about it," he responded. "Think about something else, other than the hot blazing sun and the uncomfortable environment we happen to live in."

The Mummy whined. "That's what I mean!"

Before Sphinx could say another word, a tall anthro goat approached them, carrying a basket of fruits and vegetables. "Hey, you!" he called out. "Aren't you Sphinx? You know, the kid that saved Egypt?"

Nodding, Sphinx gave the merchant a small smirk. "Yes, that's me," he answered. "And, who might you be?"

The goat merchant smiled. "A thankful citizen," he replied, handing the basket of produce to the young demigod. "The best fruits of my fields- enjoy them all!"

As the goat merchant walked away, the Mummy glanced at the basket of goodies. "Wow," he murmured. "There's a lot of good stuff in there!"

The demigod shrugged. "It's just a fruit basket," he commented, handing the gift to his companion. "Hold onto that for me, would you?"

Continuing through the bazaar, another question came to the Mummy's mind. "How many other gifts have you gotten?" he asked. "You must have gotten **tons** of free gifts from all these thankful people!"

Just the same, Sphinx was not really that flattered or surprised. "Sure, from a few friends and some royalty," he answered. "Not too many strangers have given me anything. Still, it's not like I expect it from anyone; in fact-"

At that moment, an older (and rounder) merchant approached the two young heroes. "Hey, you're Sphinx, right?" he guessed.

Without a word, Sphinx nodded slowly. This gentleman had taken both him and the Mummy by surprise!

The man smiled. "Well, do I have something for you!" he chimed, pulling out a long leather shaft. "This sheath is the perfect cradle for that sword of yours- the leather is thick and tough, so your sword stays in place no matter what. These tiny gemstones around the rim add that valuable touch of gallantry you're so well known for, too."

Needless to say, this unnerved Sphinx. "Thanks," he remarked, "but I don't think I have the money to-"

"Take it!" said the merchant, shoving the sheath into Sphinx's hands. "It's yours for keeps, made especially for a hero." With a wide smile, he walked back over to his tent.

The undead prince shrugged. "Anyway," he said, taking the sword sheath from Sphinx, "what were you going to say?"

Sphinx shook his head, gesturing in another direction to the Mummy. "Well, I don't really expect all this from anyone," he continued. "In fact, I was kind of hoping that I wouldn't really be recognized this much- I'm not one for gifts anyway."

Just the same, the Mummy was still impressed. "Well, come on," he pressed. "Don't you like all the attention? You're a hero- enjoy it!"

However, Sphinx had seen more than the Mummy had. "You still think it's all about fame and fortune, don't you?" he questioned, taking one of the fruits from the basket. "Watch this…"

The demigod stopped where he was, took a bite from the fruit, and casually tossed it over his shoulder. He then backed away, as scores of admirers jumped in to grab the half-eaten fruit.

To say the least, the Mummy was puzzled. "I don't get it," he mumbled. "What makes that fruit so special?"

A smirk crossed Sphinx's face. "Because I took a bite out of it," he explained. "Now that I'm a hero, any _worthless _item I touch becomes _priceless!_"

The Mummy gazed onward at the frenzied crowd. "That's… odd," he commented.

Nodding, Sphinx joined him in watching the unusual spectacle. "You know, I used to enjoy this," he remarked, "but the more I see it, the more bizarre it is to watch."

It was then that the Mummy looked away from the crowd. "Speaking of bazaars," he noted, "isn't that an armory tent over there?"

Quickly, Sphinx glanced over his shoulder and turned about. "Hey, thanks," he replied as he and his undead companion approached the tent. "Maybe now I can find a new blowpipe and get back to the shrine."

Inside the tent, a gaunt anthro rat seated himself at the display table. His eyes went wide when Sphinx made his entrance, and immediately he stood from his place. "Welcome to Apedamek's Armory," he greeted with a wide grin. "How may I serve you?"

Sphinx shrugged. "All I'm looking for is a blowpipe," he admitted.

The rat merchant cringed. "I'm so sorry," he muttered. "Fresh out. Just sold the last one to a hawk-headed lad." In hopes of still making a sale, he held out a small golden dagger. "I do have this, though- a lovely little scabbard, yours for 500 scarabs."

Although disappointed, Sphinx was more angered. He quickly turned around and sprinted outside.

The undead prince glanced back at the merchant. "Sorry, sir- maybe another time," he said, following his friend outside. "Sphinx, what's going on? Why did you run out like that?"

The demigod sneered. "Horus," he growled. "He's been here, and he knows about the blowpipe. He can't be too far…"

"Hello, Sphinx," a familiar voice hissed from behind.

A heavy sigh escaped Sphinx. "Horus," he addressed.

Turning around, Sphinx and the Mummy soon realized that it was, indeed, Horus. "My, my, don't you look depressed," he teased, holding up a small item. "You wouldn't be looking for _this_, now would you?"

The Mummy gasped in surprise. "The blowpipe!" he squeaked.

Despite this amazing coincidence, Sphinx remained nonchalant. "What makes you think I came here for that old thing?" he spat. "I have my own blowpipe, Horus."

Horus laughed. "_Had_ your own blowpipe," he remarked. "As I visited our master Imhotep at the Sun Shrine, I came across Lady Nefertiti. I asked her why she was so miserable, and she told me of your little argument. Needless to say, I took pity on you- as I always have- and bought you a new blowpipe."

Of course, Sphinx knew better than to trust him. "What's the catch?" he inquired.

The hawk demigod was taken aback. "Sphinx- you don't honestly think that I would try to fool you, would you?" he questioned.

__

_Not that he doesn't have good reason to,_ the Mummy considered.

It was then that Horus admitted his motives. "Of course," he murmured, "I do expect quite a bit of restitution. This blowpipe wasn't cheap, you know!"

Rolling his eyes, Sphinx took out his beetle satchel. "Alright, how much?" he queried. "300 scarabs?"

Again, Horus laughed. "Don't take me for a simpleton!" he snapped. "The blowpipe was worth far more than that!"

__

_Yeah, **right**…_ Sphinx and the Mummy thought.

Smiling, Horus then laid his trap. "However, I would be more than willing to make an exchange," he offered. "This lovely blowpipe… for the sword."

Sphinx groaned, taking out his sword. "So that's your game," he growled.

Ironically, it was the Mummy who stepped in before his companion. "Not a chance, Horus," he said, almost sarcastically. "What makes you think Sphinx would just give up his sword?"

Instead of retaliating, Horus had yet another trick up his sleeve. "I suppose you're right," he commented, reaching for a sheath at his side. "Why would I want Sphinx's blade… when I already have my own?"

Before either Sphinx or the Mummy could say a word, Horus pulled out his weapon- a long dark blade, glowing with an eerie essence. It was almost exactly what the Blade of Osiris was; however, the evil magic surrounding this sword made for a striking contrast.

Horus smirked. "Behold," he declared proudly, "the Sword of Set!"

The Mummy swallowed hard. "That can't be good," he whimpered.

Oddly enough, Sphinx was not so easily discouraged. "So, now you have a sword," he spat. "How come you still want mine?"

"It's not really a matter of _necessity_ as it is a matter of _ownership_," Horus explained. "The Blade of Osiris is rightfully mine, Sphinx!"

Confused, the Mummy gave Sphinx a sidelong look. "Okay, I'm lost," he muttered. "What's going on here?"

The lion-like demigod growled. "I'm not sure myself," he admitted, "but I'm not gonna take chances. If it's a fight he wants, it's a fight he'll get."

Laughing, Horus sheathed his sword and approached Sphinx. "I'm glad you feel the same way," he replied. "Are you up for a match against me?"

A broad smile crossed Sphinx's face. "You bet," he agreed.

Pleased, Horus chuckled lightly. _Little does he know that he's playing right into my little trap,_ he thought. "So, are you ready to go?"

It was then that a thought came to the Mummy's mind. "Hold on!" he cried, stepping between the two demigods. "Can we have a few days? You know, to warm up or something?"

Of course, Sphinx had no idea what the Mummy was planning. "What?" he queried.

The hawk demigod raised his eyebrows. "Only if you really need it," he answered teasingly.

Before Sphinx could reply, the Mummy leaned in close to him. "Trust me on this one," he whispered. "Something's not right here- we need to talk to Imhotep about this. It can give you the upper hand in battle, knowing what you're up against."

With a reluctant sigh, Sphinx glanced back at Horus. "Alright, fine," he growled. "Give us a few days."

Horus nodded. "I understand," he assured. "An inferior being such as yourself would need the benefit of some practice." He smirked, adding, "Will the open plains of the South Desert be a fine battleground for you?"

Sphinx sneered. "Fair enough," he hissed.

A wide grin crossed Horus' beak. "It's settled, then," he commented, taking his leave. "See you in a few days, Sphinx, and remember- don't tire yourself out with all that training."

As the hawk demigod walked away, Sphinx gave the Mummy a cold stare. "You had better be right about this," he snapped. "I don't want to gain a reputation as a coward."

"Oh, relax!" the Mummy advised. "Let's go talk to Imhotep about this."

The lion-like demigod rolled his eyes. "If you say so…"

---------------------------------------

Some time later, Sphinx and the Mummy arrived back at the Sun Shrine. They told Nefertiti and Imhotep of their meeting with Horus; needless to say, neither of them were pleased.

"You mean to tell me that Horus has possession of the Sword of Set?" Imhotep questioned. "Please, tell me this is a joke!"

The Mummy shrugged. "We could," he replied, "but then we'd be lying to you."

Irritated, Sphinx jabbed the Mummy in his side. "Quiet," he snapped.

Shaking his head, Imhotep grabbed one of his books from off the shelves. "The Sword of Set is a counter to the Blade of Osiris," he informed. "It has been said that both are equal in power, although it was Set's blade that sent the valiant warrior Osiris into the afterlife."

A small smile crossed the demigod's face. "Great," he said, unsheathing his sword. "So, that means I have a chance?"

Imhotep sighed and nodded. "Be cautioned, though," he warned. "You must stay alert from now on- if Horus catches you by surprise, he could very well take your life with that sword."

Nefertiti rolled her eyes as she leaned back against the wall. "All this over a stupid blowpipe?" she spat. "You men can be so… frustrating, not to mention childish."

Quickly, Sphinx spun around and glared at Nefertiti. "Excuse me?" he snapped. "No disrespect, Lady Nefertiti, but weren't **you** the one to break my blowpipe in the first place?? I wouldn't have had to get a new one if it weren't for you!"

"Well," Nefertiti growled, "if you didn't go off and kill those defenseless creatures-"

Sphinx snarled. "Slim Burbles are **not** defenseless!" he interrupted. "Besides, you hated them anyway! You women are so two-faced!"

Again, the princess and the demigod erupted into an argument, exchanging colorful insults with matching gestures.

Puzzled, Imhotep turned to the Mummy. "Care to explain?" he asked.

The Mummy shrugged. "Sphinx and I went to South Beach to hunt Slim Burbles," he began. "Nefertiti came along and saw Sphinx kill one. She got so mad that she broke his blowpipe, which is why Sphinx and I went to the Heliopolis Bazaar to find a new one. The last one in the armory tent was sold to Horus, who offered to exchange it for the Blade of Osiris. Then he showed off the Sword of Set and challenged Sphinx to a battle. Of course, Sphinx would have jumped in immediately, but- being the brains of the operation- I told him to wait a couple days to train. So, that's what's going on here."

With a heavy sigh, Imhotep walked over to the two bickering "friends" and shoved them apart. "Enough, both of you!" he shouted, then addressing the demigod. "Sphinx, find Horus and call off your match."

To say the least, Sphinx was shocked. "What??" he cried. "Master, please! If I don't battle Horus-"

"You'll live to see another day," Imhotep noted. "Sphinx, you- of all my students- should know the importance of picking your battles. This is not one of them."

A broad smirk crossed Nefertiti's face, but she was not completely cleared of guilt. "As for you, Lady Nefertiti," Imhotep continued, "since you were the one to break the blowpipe, and cause this whole fiasco, perhaps a bit of recompense is in order?"

Before Nefertiti could speak, the Mummy gently interrupted her. "It's no use arguing with him," he whispered. "It's just better to leave it at that, and not go through the trouble of arguing ten minutes without getting anywhere."

The lion-like demigod sighed, sheathed his sword, and made his way to the entrance. "I'm going off to find Horus," he said. "Don't wait up for me."

Nefertiti crossed her arms. "I guess I should be going, too," she commented. "The ferryman will be here soon anyway."

As the two of them left, the Mummy found himself alone with Imhotep. He knew what waiting there doing nothing might mean, but as he tried to escape, the elderly anthro baboon took the mummified prince by the hand. "Come along, boy," he groaned. "I have a few things I'd like you to organize."

Moaning with disappointment, the Mummy just let himself go. "Chores," he muttered. "I hope I don't stay this way for long. Doing manual labor,_ every day_… I don't understand how the common-folk can handle all that…"

---------------------------------------

Sphinx wandered about Heliopolis, looking for his hawk-headed adversary. Truth be told, he had no problem with the fight, but who was he to disobey his teacher? This was something he had to do, whether he liked it or not.

Finally, Sphinx spotted Horus resting on the edge of a cliff-wall. He seemed to be enjoying the sunset as he polished his new sword.

Sneering in disgust, the demigod turned away. _What I wouldn't give to wipe that smirk off his face, _he thought. _I can't believe what I'm about to do…_

"Sphinx!" Horus called out. "I almost didn't see you there! Have you come to plea for mercy, or are you just prepared to give up the Blade of Osiris?"

Disillusioned, Sphinx rolled his eyes. _Ye gods, is Horus always this cocky or is it just when I'm around? _He pondered, scaling the wall and meeting Horus at the ledge. "I'm not prepared to plea or give anything up to you, Horus… but I have come to…" He clenched his teeth. "I won't battle you."

Those four words were music to Horus' ears. "Can't handle it, can you?" he taunted. "Just as well- I always was better than you."

The lion-like demigod shook his head. "Believe me, Horus, if it were up to me, I'd battle you here and now," he admitted. "I'm backing out on behalf of Master Imhotep."

Shaking his head with a _tsk, tsk, tsk,_ Horus put his arm around Sphinx. "You don't need to cover up your cowardice for me," he said. "If you really want my pity, then all you have to do is say so."

Needless to say, Horus' pride was only adding insult to injury. "I'm being honest, Horus," Sphinx snapped. "You can ask Imhotep yourself if you really want your proof."

Horus scoffed. "I don't need proof," he spat. "I can see it in your eyes. You're scared to fight me, aren't you?" He smirked. "Admit it, Sphinx- you are afraid of me."

__

_He thinks very highly of himself, doesn't he?_ Sphinx thought, giving the hawk-headed demigod a nonchalant glance. "You won't quit gloating unless we battle, will you?"

Acting in a apologetic manner, Horus leaned back and showed his open palms. "Oh, no, no, no!" he replied. "If you want to step aside, far be it from me to make you compete." He smiled, adding, "Of course, that means you'd be a coward, but I'm sure you'll-"

Quickly, Sphinx pulled out the Blade of Osiris, holding the tip at Horus' throat. He snarled; that clever little bird really knew how to agitate him!

Then, Horus rolled back, stood up, and pulled out the Sword of Set. The two weapons met at their tips, their light and dark auras intertwining so that the two demigods could clearly see their faces.

Sphinx growled. "We battle on the third day," he snapped, sheathing his sword. "Heliopolis Point- not too crowded, but enough eyes to witness your defeat."

A smirk crossed Horus' beak. "Let's make this a little more interesting," he suggested. "Instead of that worthless blowpipe, let's battle for our swords- you may have the Sword of Set if you win, but I must have the Blade of Osiris if I am the victor."

Sphinx chuckled, holding his hand out in a business-like gesture. "I accept the challenge," he said, shaking Horus' hand.

The hawk demigod nodded. "I'm glad we came to an agreement," he hissed, wandering off. "Good luck explaining yourself to Master Imhotep."

Stunned, Sphinx dropped his jaw. In his irritation, he had completely forgotten Imhotep's words of advice! _Oh, perfect…_he thought. _This has just gone from bad to worse…  
_

_----------------------------------------------  
_

Later that evening, Sphinx found himself star-gazing outside the Sun Shrine. He hadn't told anyone, let alone Imhotep, about his little fumble. Still, he wasn't that upset about the fight; he knew he could handle Horus, and with a little effort he could beat him.

A familiar figure- Prince Tutankhamun, nonetheless- strode outside and sat down next to Sphinx. "Hi, Sphinx," he greeted, looking up at the stars. "What are you doing?"

"Star-gazing," Sphinx responded. "It's something I like to do when I need some time to think."

Nodding, the Mummy suddenly remembered something. "Oh, how did your talk go with Horus?" he asked. "I bet it wasn't easy, huh?"

Sphinx did not answer. He knew the Mummy would only worry himself and tell Imhotep, and he really wasn't in the mood for another lecture on responsibility and "picking your battles".

Just the same, the Mummy wanted to hear an answer. "Sphinx?"

Again, Sphinx did not reply.

The Mummy groaned. "Come on, Sphinx," he whined. "Tell me what happened!"

With a heavy sigh, Sphinx turned to face the Mummy. "I did go to Horus and told him that I wouldn't battle," he began, "but that wretch gloated so much that he tricked me into battling him anyway!"

To say the least, the Mummy was shocked. "What??" he cried. "Oh, no! This is bad! This is so bad!" He stood and turned around. "We have to tell Imhotep- he'll know what to do about this!"

It was then that Sphinx shot his arm forward and grabbed the Mummy by the ankle. He pulled him back, causing the prince to fall flat on his face.

Slowly, the Mummy picked himself up, spitting out the sand in his mouth. "You know," he murmured, "you could have been a little less forceful."

The lion-like demigod stood, facing the Mummy. "Do not tell Imhotep a word of this," he said. "I would rather not have another long lecture, thank you very much." He shrugged. "Besides, I don't really mind battling Horus- I just wanna show him that showing off will only get him so far."

Still, the Mummy was not entirely convinced. "Well, it got you to battle him," he noted. "What makes you so sure you can beat him? The Sword of Set is supposed to be really powerful!"

Rolling his eyes, Sphinx gazed at the Mummy. "You worry too much, you know that?" he remarked. "Didn't you hear Imhotep? The Blade of Osiris and the Sword of Set are evenly matched; all I need is a little practice, and I could beat Horus."

With a heavy sigh, the Mummy slumped against the wall and slipped to the ground. "So, what's the plan?"

"Tomorrow, at dawn," Sphinx replied, staring into the heavens, "we begin…"

-----------------------------------------

The sun rose gently over the horizon of Heliopolis. It was a pleasant ray of warm sunlight to begin the day, although most people were still asleep… with a few exceptions.

Sphinx sprinted along the shoreline, wiping the beads of sweat from his brow as he gasped for breath. While he hadn't exactly been lazy the past few weeks, he wasn't keeping up with his training either. He couldn't remember the last time he ran for so long!

Close behind him, the Mummy was "guiding" him along. "Come on!" he shouted. "Is that the best you can do?? My grandmother runs faster than that, and she's dead!"

The demigod growled, glaring back at the Mummy. "Prince," he hissed, "remind me again how this is supposed to be **helpful**. I keep forgetting!"

The Mummy pulled himself closer via the strip of cloth around Sphinx's waist (you didn't honestly think the Mummy could run that fast, did you?). "Motivational speaking," he informed. "My brother used to use it all the time with our hired hands."

__

_Why am I not surprised?_ Sphinx considered.

Again, the undead prince spoke up. "Let's move!" he barked. "I said five laps around Heliopolis, and we've barely done one! Come on, you lazy bag of bones- move it!"

Reluctantly, Sphinx picked up the pace. _By the time I'm through here, _he thought, _I won't be the only bag of bones fallen on the ground…  
_

_------------------------------------------------  
_

By the time most people were awake, Sphinx and the Mummy headed for the farmer's plot. The farmer brothers, Suti and Hapi, were only more than willing to help out the young lad.

Suti, the elder anthro dog farmer, took his walking stick and pointed to a nearby tree. "Now, that there's the famed Sandstone Tree," he noted. "It certainly don't look strong, but that tree has the hardest trunk known to man."

Hapi, the younger (although still old) anthro dog farmer, nodded in agreement. "It's been said that only fire could bring a Sandstone Tree to the ground," he went on. "There's been no blade sharp enough, no wind strong enough, and no man harsh enough to tear it down."

Sphinx pulled out his sword. "Let's see if all that's true," he murmured.

Quickly, Sphinx let the blade fly. This method of repetitive battering of a harmless tree was actually an exercise for Sphinx's techniques with the sword. Each blow had to be timed carefully; one slip of the wrist, and the blade would fly out of his hands.

Of course, the Mummy had to stand by and make sure Sphinx didn't hurt himself. "Hey, watch where you're swinging that thing!" he cried. "Someone could get hurt!"

With one last swipe, Sphinx let the blade of his sword touch the ground. He took a moment to breathe as he looked over to the Mummy. "I'm sorry," he said. "What were you saying?"

The Mummy tapped his foot impatiently; that last swipe of the sword had cut off the poor boy's arm.

After an awkward pause, Suti stepped in. "We've got some paste that'll fix your arm right up, boy," he assured. "It worked for me, when I cut my finger off with the sickle a good long time back, and that finger's working better than ever!"

The demigod could only stand there, partially in surprise and in amusement. He knew that the Mummy wasn't exactly affected by pain, at least not like most people, but still he knew it looked bad.

With a heavy sigh, the Mummy picked up his arm. "You keep practicing," he advised, walking over to the farmer's house. "I'll be out in a minute… I just need to patch up my arm first…"

-----------------------------------------

After a quick meal at the Amenti household, Sphinx and the Mummy waited patiently outside to continue training. Khenti and Ketta had also agreed to help them, and all that needed to be done now was for Khenti to "suit up", so to speak.

The door opened, and Khenti slowly wobbled outside. His whole body was covered in a protective of cloth and fluff, with a few ropes to tie everything together and a makeshift helmet.

Ketta stepped outside, smiling sheepishly. "We apologize, Sphinx," she admitted. "Khenti has always been a bit of a coward, so he refused to come out unless he had some protection." She turned to her husband and asked, "Do you feel comfortable, dear?"

"I can't feel my legs," Khenti whined.

Sphinx turned to the Mummy. "I'm not doing this," he snapped. "Attacking poor Khenti is as bad as attacking a kitten- it's cruel, not to mention there's absolutely no fun in it."

Of course, the Mummy wasn't about to give up on the demigod's training. "Would you relax?" he demanded. "Khenti is completely safe! Besides, Ketta and I came up with something that might change your mind."

Nodding, Ketta pulled out a long colored cloth and a mask. She pulled the cloth over Khenti's head and tied it around his waist; it was the same colors as Horus' clothes. She then slipped the mask over his face, also with a likeness to Horus.

Still, Sphinx wasn't entirely convinced with this trick. _They have **got** to be kidding, _he thought, glancing at the Mummy and Ketta, both of which anxious to see him in action. _Well… I guess I could give it a shot. After all, it's not like they're going to give up any time soon._

At that moment, Sphinx pulled out the Blade of Osiris and lunged at Khenti. Frightened beyond belief, the poor nomad ran for dear life; he's seen this guy in action, and there's no way he's going to be a sitting duck in his path!

Then, Ketta glanced at the Mummy. "Prince," she addressed, "how exactly is this going to help Sphinx?"

After considering it, the Mummy saw the flaw in his thinking. "Oh… I guess we should have armed Khenti, right?" he muttered, grinning sheepishly. "Well, Sphinx has been training hard today; we should give him a little time to relax, to have some fun."

The undead prince and the female anthro hyena looked onward. Despite Khenti's absolute terror, Sphinx seemed to be having fun with the chase.

Ketta sighed. "I suppose," she agreed. "He seems to be enjoying himself… my dear Khenti, on the other hand…"

---------------------------------------

Some time later, after Sphinx decided that chasing Khenti around (although fun) was pointless, Ketta removed some of her husband's padding and the crude Horus disguise. She then equipped him with an antique sword they had acquired some time ago, probably as a wedding present.

Sphinx observed as Khenti stood opposite of him, shivering in nervousness and holding the sword tightly. "Are you sure about this, Khenti?" he inquired. "You don't have to do this if you don't want to."

Khenti shook his head. "It's no problem, Sphinx," he lied. "I'm just doing my part- after all, we want you to win that duel with Horus." He paused for a moment. "Just… don't cut off my head or anything… okay?"

Rolling his eyes, Sphinx unsheathed the Blade of Osiris. "I'll do my best," he replied.

Once again, the demigod leapt into battle. This time, Khenti was quick to react with a simple blocking technique. After the two had battled for the first few minutes, it became clear that every time Sphinx came close to him, Khenti would always fall back.

Needless to say, the Mummy was impressed. "I didn't know nomads learned how to use swords," he remarked.

"They don't," Ketta informed. "One of Khenti's friends gave that sword to us as a wedding present. He showed my husband a few basic techniques; he's not nearly as skilled as Sphinx."

At that very moment, Sphinx knocked the sword out of Khenti's hands. Quickly, Khenti fell to the ground and covered his head, scared.

With a heavy sigh, Sphinx sheathed his sword. "Khenti, you never cease to amuse me," he muttered.

After a minute or two, the Mummy ran over to Sphinx. "So, what did you think?" he asked.

Shrugging, Sphinx turned away and walked towards the beach. "It was interesting," he admitted, "but I would have benefited more from the guidance of a professional." He turned his head and glanced at Khenti. "No offense."

The nomad chuckled nervously. "None taken!"

As Sphinx walked along the shoreline, he noticed that the sun was beginning to set. He had been training since dawn, and he only had one more day before the battle. He was beginning to wonder if all this trouble was really worth it.

Concerned, the Mummy approached the demigod. "Sphinx?"

Sphinx sighed. "I appreciate the help, Prince," he responded, "but the battle I'm facing doesn't only deal with swords."

The Mummy wasn't entirely clear on what Sphinx was saying, but he still felt obliged to help anyway. "You just need to calm down," he commented. "Horus looks pretty intimidating, but you can overcome that."

Shaking his head, Sphinx knew that the Mummy was clueless on this topic. "You know, we never used to be enemies," he reminded. "I told you that we used to be great friends when we were kids. Imhotep always told us that we were seemingly joined at the hip; he **had** to put us together, because we refused to work apart." He frowned slightly, adding, "Of course, the older we got, the more independent we became. We didn't need each other anymore. Whenever we were put together, Horus always wanted to lead, and when we were kids I didn't mind, but now that I've grown older I wanted to lead a few times. Horus never did like competition, so the more we were partners, the more we drifted and became rivals."

Apparently, that was a lot of information for the Mummy. _So that's their story, _he pondered. _It's too bad there's no way that I can make those two friends again…_

A small smile crossed Sphinx's face; he walked over to a nearby rock and sat down, staring into the open afternoon sky. "Oh well," he murmured. "At least it's a beautiful day."

Suddenly, the Mummy was struck with an idea… ironically, from his own childhood memories. _It was so obvious! How come I didn't see it before?_

The undead prince grinned. "Let me know when you're ready to go back to Sun Shrine Island," he said. "I'd like to try one more technique before we call it a day…"

------------------------------------------

Early that evening, Sphinx and the Mummy stood outside the Sun Shrine, facing the west as the sun began to set over the horizon. They each stood on one leg, atop their own rock, with their palms meeting together in front of their chest (in an almost prayerful position) and their eyes gently closed.

After a while, Sphinx decided that he couldn't focus and turned to the Mummy, who _supposedly_ knew what he was doing. "Explain to me what exactly we're doing," he questioned.

The Mummy took a deep breath, keeping his focus. "My brother had an expert travel from the Far East to help him relieve stress," he explained. "I think he called this exercise yoma… or yoka… or, something like that."

Sphinx rolled his eyes inwardly. "Really?" he queried in a slight sarcastic tone. "So, what's the point of this exercise, anyway?"

"Balance," the Mummy replied. "You're supposed to find your center- that part of your soul that is so aware of what's going on that you don't need your senses."

The demigod sighed. "It still sounds like a load of rubbish, if you ask me," he muttered, "but I have to admit- it is relieving some of the stress."

A smile crossed the Mummy's face. "Glad I could help…"

------------------------------------

The next morning, Sphinx had awoken early, but not for training. The Mummy decided that what the demigod really needed was some time to clear his thoughts. The big day was tomorrow, and the less stressed he was the better.

That very same day, Nefertiti had taken a barge over to Sun Shrine Island. She brought with her a blowpipe, the very same make and model as Sphinx's old one. She would have given it to him sooner, but she needed a day or so to collect her thoughts.

When she arrived, Nefertiti looked around the Sun Shrine, looking for the demigod and her prince. "Where could those two be?" she muttered.

Then, the princess looked out a nearby window. Just outside, Sphinx was rested comfortably on a large rock, seated with crossed legs and very still. The Mummy looked onward from his spot, leaning against a wall.

Sighing, Nefertiti walked around until she got to the back of the Sun Shrine. "Tutankhamun!" she called out. "What are you doing out here?"

Quickly, the Mummy rushed up to his fiancee and hushed her. "Quiet," he whispered. "Sphinx is meditating; he needs to relax for tomorrow's battle."

Of course, Nefertiti was a tad puzzled. "What are you talking about?" she inquired. "Sphinx canceled the fight with Horus, didn't he?"

The Mummy shook his head. "Horus talked him back into it," he explained. "Don't worry, though- he's had plenty of training, and after today's meditation he'll be ready for the battle."

__

_Somehow, I'm not surprised, _Nefertiti thought as she rolled her eyes, then pulled out an object. "Here- I brought Sphinx the blowpipe, so I guess he won't have to battle Horus."

The undead prince bit his lower lip. "Well, not exactly," he continued. "They changed it around slightly; now Sphinx is battling for the Sword of Set."

Appalled, Nefertiti dropped her jaw. "What??" she snapped. "I don't _believe_ you boys- Imhotep strictly tells you to stay out of trouble, and you go ahead and do it anyway!"

Concerned for Sphinx's spiritual rest, the Mummy shushed Nefertiti again. "Keep it down," he pleaded. "Sphinx is trying to-"

"I don't care!" Nefertiti barked. "I want the two of you to find Imhotep and tell him what you're doing!"

While Nefertiti continued wailing and the Mummy tried to quiet her, Sphinx was deep in thought. He hadn't realized that Nefertiti, or the Mummy for that matter, was even there. He was too focused…

Suddenly, Sphinx's eyes shot open. He stood slowly and approached the prince and his girlfriend. "Prince," he addressed, "I'm ready. Set up a target."

Just the same, the Mummy was more concerned with Sphinx's psychological readiness. "But… you're already fit," he noted. "Don't you need any more meditation?"

Sphinx sneered slightly. "Set up the target," he repeated, one hand gripping the sword handle.

Spooked by the sudden demand, the Mummy rushed inside to look for a suitable dummy. Nefertiti stayed outside, glancing at Sphinx carefully. His eyes drew a lot of attention; it seemed like he was focused on something, but what was it?

After a moment, the Mummy returned with a crudely made target. "Hope that works," he murmured, turning to Sphinx. "Hit it with everything you've got!"

At that moment, Sphinx launched himself at the target. Armed with the Blade of Osiris, he managed to give that target a good thrashing. Maneuvering around it, he relentlessly attacked, sending wood shards and pieces of fabric flying everywhere.

Both the Mummy and Nefertiti stood back, wide-eyed with shock. They hadn't seen Sphinx battle before, but chances were that he usually wasn't **this** spirited. It was as if he was determined to totally destroy that target!

Nefertiti in particular felt worried. _This can't be my fault,_ she pondered. _I wouldn't have caused Sphinx and Horus to fight… then, why do I feel so guilty?  
_

_-------------------------------------------  
_

That guilt carried over into the next day. Sphinx's attitude hadn't changed, and the Mummy was starting to become worried. This effect **would** end after the battle… right?

The demigod sauntered out to South Beach, accompanied by the Mummy and Nefertiti. Since the day before, he hadn't said much of anything, and that glare in his eyes was starting to scare them.

As Sphinx stood silently on the outskirts of the beach, the Mummy was right there beside him to boost his confidence. "Now, remember," he reminded, "never take your eyes off your opponent. Always look for a weak spot and use it to your advantage. Above all, never, never, **ever** let him hit you with that sword!"

Quietly, Nefertiti leaned over to the Mummy. "Are you sure about this?" she asked. "What if something happens?"

The Mummy shrugged. "Don't worry about it," he said. "Sphinx is a great warrior; I'm sure he'll win the duel."

"And what if he doesn't?" Nefertiti questioned.

Suddenly, Sphinx spoke up. "I will win," he spat, glaring at Nefertiti out of the corner of his eye.

The undead prince swallowed hard. _Okay, I know Sphinx can be a bit harsh sometimes, _he thought, _but that is definitely **not **Sphinx!_

At that moment, a familiar hawk-headed demigod approached the three companions. "You actually came," he scoffed. "I credit you, Sphinx, for your courage and punctuality…" He unsheathed the Sword of Set. "… but that will only get you so far."

Sphinx pulled out the Blade of Osiris, giving Horus an incriminating stare. "I'm ready whenever you are," he hissed.

Horus smirked. "I see you've gotten more courageous than I thought you would be," he noted. "The first person to knock their opponent's sword to the ground wins." He sneered. "Begin!"

Quickly, the two demigods launched themselves at each other and attacked with great force. Clearly, Horus was quite experienced; his skill with the Sword of Set rivaled Sphinx's own skill with the Blade of Osiris. It was hard to tell whether it actually talent or mysterious forces at work in their heated battle.

The clashing of swords and echoing war cries drew the attention of a lot of people, including those from the nearby Heliopolis bazaar. As the battle raged on, more and more people came to watch the spectacle. It was odd that the only people **not** enjoying the fight were the Mummy and Nefertiti.

It was then that Nefertiti noticed something. The swords' auras were glowing, and the dark aura from the Sword of Set had wrapped itself around the Blade of Osiris; she could also see that dark aura slipping over Sphinx's hands, crawling up his arms, wrapping around his neck, and shrouding over his face. _How is it doing that? And, how come the Blade of Osiris isn't affecting Horus?_

A sly grin crossed Horus' beak. "You're a fool, Sphinx!" he mocked. "Soon you will fall, and the Blade of Osiris will be mine!" He then muttered under his breath, "That head of yours will make a fine trophy for my master."

Nefertiti gasped in horror. _Of course! _She thought. _How come I didn't see it before?? Horus could have only gotten that sword in one place- hidden in the Uruk castle, the dwelling of Set! He must be working for that horrid deity; how else would he know how to use the powers of that sword?_

Concerned with his fiancee's sudden worry, the Mummy leaned over to Nefertiti. "What's wrong?" he inquired.

Still shocked, Nefertiti pulled the Mummy closer. "I figured it out," she whispered in his ear. "Horus is working for Set! That's where he got the sword, and that's how he knows how to use the sword's powers!"

Although the Mummy already knew Horus' secret, he was still a tad unconvinced. "What powers?" he queried.

Flustered, Nefertiti adjusted the Mummy's skull so that he could get a better view of the fighters. "Take a good look at that," she hissed. "Don't you notice anything unusual?"

After staring and squinting for a moment, the Mummy soon saw it- how the dark aura of the Sword of Set was overcoming the light aura of the Blade of Osiris… and Sphinx. "Oh, no!" he yelped. "Sphinx is in trouble!" He turned to his fiancee. "We need to stop the fight!"

Of course, Nefertiti hadn't considered that yet. "How?" she questioned. "We can't just step in! They aren't going to stop for either of us, and even if they _are_ only fighting to knock one sword out of the other's hand, I wouldn't put it past either of them to cheat and hurt each other."

Overwhelmed, the Mummy broke down and cried. "It's hopeless!" he whimpered.

Suddenly, without warning, the Sword of Set went flying, landing in a nearby sand dune. Horus, of course, tried to go over and retrieve it, but a whole crowd of people stopped him.

"It's over!" someone cried.

"Sphinx won the battle!" said another.

"Hooray for Sphinx!" yet another cheered.

Soon, the whole crowd began cheering for the half-lion demigod. He smirked, pushing past the spectators and approaching the Sword of Set. "At last," he murmured, "I can claim my prize."

As Sphinx placed his hand on the handle of the sword, the dark aura arose again. This time, a strong shocking force ran through Sphinx's body, blowing him clear across the beach.

Worried, the Mummy and Nefertiti ran after the demigod. "Sphinx!"

Once the undead prince and his princess found Sphinx lying in a sand dune, they waited patiently at his side. They could only hope nothing bad happened to him…

Slowly, Sphinx opened his eyes. "Ooh… what happened?" he groaned. "My head is killing me… so are my arms and legs, for that matter…"

The Mummy cocked his head in confusion. "Do you remember the battle?" he asked.

Nodding, Sphinx struggled to stand as the Mummy and Nefertiti propped him up. "Sure, I remember," he muttered. "That's probably why I'm so tired… but, I can't remember all the details."

Nefertiti sighed. "What a relief!" she cried. "Sphinx, the dark aura of the Sword of Set was overwhelming you. Somehow it must have affected you; when you came out of meditation the other day, you were acting so… _different_… almost like Horus."

Sphinx considered that for a moment. "Well, while you two were fighting, I was thinking about how Horus and I always bickered like that, how we never actually battled each other before," he noted. "I guess I began to think that maybe it was about time we battled, but after that all my memories start to get a little cloudy."

"And do you know why?" a familiar voice snapped. "The Sword of Set contains an extraordinary power, much like the Blade of Osiris. This power, however, is an evil one, and coming in contact with that dark aura can cause even the most kind and gentle person to work for dark forces. The sword was merely blinding you; it expelled you from its grasp when you touched it, because at heart, Sphinx, you are not truly evil."

The demigod grimaced; he knew that voice. "Master Imhotep," he addressed.

The anthro baboon approached his courageous apprentice. "I told you not to battle Horus," he reminded, "and yet you foolishly disobeyed me. You could have forever succumbed to the power of that sword, and worse yet you could have been killed!"

Before Sphinx could run off, Imhotep grabbed his ear, as a schoolmaster does his most troublesome student. "Let us go back to the Sun Shrine," he sighed, gesturing for the Mummy and Nefertiti to follow. "Come along."

Relieved, the Mummy sighed deeply. "I'm glad that's over," he said to his fiancee.

The princess nodded in reply. _It's too bad Sphinx has to be punished when it was partially Horus' fault, _she pondered. _I hope that hawk-headed creep is getting what he deserves…  
_

_------------------------------------------------  
_

That evening, the Mummy and Nefertiti sat quietly inside the Sun Shrine. They made themselves comfortable by the fireplace, as it was pouring rain outside.

Meanwhile, Sphinx laid flat on his back on a large wooden table, his wrists and ankles bound to each respective corner. On each side of him were two burning incense sticks, and at the headboard was a bowl of magical ingredients.

Imhotep walked into the room, carrying another one of his books. "Comfortable, Sphinx?" he inquired, with a slight sarcastic tone.

The demigod moaned. "I guess I should have expected this," he muttered. "I can't remember the last time you used this table on me, but I know I hated it."

Puzzled, the Mummy turned to Sphinx. "What's that table used for, anyway?" he queried.

"This is a spellbinding table," Imhotep informed. "The ties are used to hold an unpurified soul to the table while proper incantations are used in the purification process."

Sphinx cringed as he writhed slightly with his back. "Now I remember why I hated this table," he snapped. "It's an old table, so there's quite a few splinters… not to mention I'm practically crushing my tail."

Of course, Nefertiti was still intrigued. "How come Sphinx needs to be purified?" she asked. "The dark aura was expelled from his body."

Nodding, Imhotep read from the book as he tossed a few more herbs into the bowl. "True, Lady Nefertiti," he noted, "but his body is still unguarded. I simply never saw the use for these spells because I never thought it would come up. Now I realize how necessary these spells are, especially in these dark times."

At that moment, a light knock alerted them. "Prince, would you get that?" Imhotep requested. "I'm a bit busy at the moment."

With a light nod, the Mummy sauntered over to the door. He opened the door, surprised for a moment at who it was. "Horus?"

Sure enough, it was Horus who was standing outside in the pouring rain. "Please, let me in," he groaned. "I don't have anywhere else to go."

Before Horus could step inside, the Mummy blocked his path. "Why don't you go back to Uruk?" he said in a slightly harsh tone. "It hardly rains there, and I'm sure Set will shelter his own servant."

Rolling his eyes, Horus pushed past the Mummy. "You don't know Lord Set," he spat. "Besides, it's not as if I have no business being here. I may serve Set, but Imhotep is still my master."

As Horus stepped into the room, he drew everyone's attention. Nefertiti stood and crossed her arms; Imhotep and Sphinx just gave him a questioning stare.

Horus sighed, approaching Imhotep. "Master," he greeted, "I was hoping that you would invite your own apprentice inside from the rain."

Imhotep just stared at Horus, but nevertheless nodded. "You may stay," he permitted, "but do not think I have forgotten your brawl with Sphinx."

The hawk-headed demigod lowered his head. "Master Imhotep, what can I do to make up for such an embarrassment?"

"Deal with that sword of yours," Imhotep replied. "The Sword of Set is too powerful for you to handle, but don't take the criticism so harshly; only Set could handle that sword without fear of consequences." He stared at Horus. "You have two choices- destroy the sword, or let me purify it of its stronger dark forces."

After a moment of hesitation, Horus unsheathed the Sword of Set and laid it on the ground at Imhotep's feet. "Purify it for me, Master."

Nodding, Imhotep laid down his book and used a levitation spell to keep the sword suspended in air. "I will find the proper spell," he murmured, retreating to his library.

Once Imhotep was out of the room, Horus leaned on the table where Sphinx was tied. "The spellbinding table," he noted. "He only used this whenever we found ourselves hexed."

Nefertiti rolled her eyes. "You would know," she hissed. "It was your sword that enchanted him."

Perplexed, Horus just stared at Nefertiti. "Lady Nefertiti, I think I know my own sword," he responded matter-of-factly. "Yes, the sword has a dark aura surrounding it, but as far as I know, that aura stays with the sword. Even if it did affect Sphinx, I have no idea how to use the sword that way."

The young princess would have retorted, but being quite perceptive, she could tell from the look in Horus' eyes that he was serious- he only knew the sword as a fighting tool, not as a tool for evil.

Then, Horus turned away from Nefertiti and went back to Sphinx. "You do know that you were only lucky, right?" he remarked. "The sword just slipped out of my hands; had it not, you'd be powerless."

Sphinx shook his head. "Stop making excuses already," he spat. "Just accept that the better warrior won."

Of course, Horus was not about to accept so easily. "Luck was simply on your side today, Sphinx," he commented. "I would have won otherwise."

Sneering, Sphinx writhed under his ropes. "Luck seems to be on your side, too," he snapped. "If I weren't tied down, Horus, I would have wrung your neck by now!"

Horus laughed. "Ah, but you can't," he taunted, leaning over Sphinx to further torment him. "I'm right here, Sphinx- come and get me."

The Mummy and Nefertiti stood idly by, watching this amusing display. "Well, at least things are getting back to normal," the undead prince murmured. "And to think, it all started over a blowpipe."

It was then that Sphinx turned his attention to the Mummy. "That's right," he growled. "Lady Nefertiti, I never did get compensation for the blowpipe."

Smiling, the Mummy approached the bound demigod. "Don't worry," he advised. "Nefertiti gave it to me, and I…" He trailed off in uncertainty. "… I… lost it."

"You lost it??" Sphinx barked.

Just as easily as that, the boys were all back to yelling. Sphinx was switching between Horus, who was still taunting him; and the Mummy, who was trying to calm him down before he did something rash.

Nefertiti chuckled. "If this is what they call normal, it looks like things are starting to go that way," she remarked, her mind going back to the Sword of Set. "I can't help but wonder, though…"

* * *

Inside the castle walls of Uruk, Set and Menes gazed into a steaming cauldron. The image in the rising steam wasn't exactly good news for them; it was Horus, and as much as they enjoyed torturing innocent souls, laughter of that sort was not generally favorable.

Set groaned, pressing his fingers to his temple. "Foolish child," he hissed. "I should have known that dark magic wasn't nearly enough to take care of that meddling demigod."

Menes gave Set a sidelong look. "Not to disagree with you, Master," she assured, "but I did warn you that something like this might happen."

The dark god smirked. "And I told you that my own ways work against each other for the better," he reminded. "Remember, we discovered Horus when his heart was consumed with greed, jealousy, and vengeance. We can still use those traits to bring down Sphinx."

Just the same, Menes was not entirely convinced. "Keep in mind, my master," she noted, "that in Imhotep's hands, your sword will not be nearly as powerful as it once was."

A sly grin crossed Set's face. "My sword is not the only mystical amulet in Egypt that works in mysterious ways," he responded conjuring up the image of a medallion in the cauldron. "This will be Sphinx's next quest… and if all goes well, we won't have to see his smug little face anymore…"

****

THE END

* * *

****

Next Time, on** SPHINX: The Series**…

**__**

The Beast Within

Sphinx retrieves the Beast Medallion, which changes him into a lion! How will he ever change back?

See you next time!


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